LLYANDRA KERR LEADS WAY FOR HAWKS IN FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN
The Women's Basketball Team hosted the Fanshawe Falcons on Friday night, knowing a win would move them into a tie atop the Western Division Standings and extend their win streak to five.
The Hawks Llyandra Kerr, averaging a double-double and one of the OCAA's most consistent forces in the paint, established herself down low early. After a back and forth first few minutes, Kerr bullied her way to a couple of lay-ins at the rim to give Humber an 8-5 advantage. Her work inside had the Falcons defense collapsing, and point guard Ceejay Nofuente capitalized on the spacing with a pair of long distance connections to push the lead to 17-8. With the Fanshawe defense scrambling, the blue and gold would finish the quarter on a mini-run thanks to a pair of Jill Semple buckets down low; at the end of the first, the Hawks led 21-8.
The second quarter would start slowly, with neither side able to find the bottom of the net. Just as she had in the first, Kerr kick-started the offense, asserting herself around the rim and put up four quick points thanks to a couple of nice finishes. She then shifted to distributor, sliding a beautiful pass between two defenders to Courtney Boyes for an easy finish. The Falcons would go to the press with their half-court defense proving ineffective, but Natalie Hagopian would put a quick end to the adjustment by hitting a three and jumper. At half, the blue and gold had pushed the lead to a comfortable nineteen, 38-19.
The Falcons came out swinging to open the third, with a pair of pretty drive and dishes leading to finishes down low. Anique Daley was doing a nice job on the offensive glass, and her work in the painted area led to a 6-0 run and had the Hawks lead cut to thirteen. Answering the bell again was Hagopian, as her three and long two put the Hawks back on track. The Falcons refused to wilt, and an Ali Vlasman three was followed in short succession by another home run ball from Kiera Serodio; with just three minutes to go in the quarter, Fanshawe had chopped the lead to eight. For the second time in the quarter, Hagopian put an end to the Falcons run with a three ball; as time ran down in the frame, Ceejay Nofuente made a beautiful no look pass to Amber Bechard to extend the lead to thirteen headed to the fourth.
Ashley Galloway opened the quarter with a quick lay in for the Falcons, and the press that had been shredded in the first was much more effective the second time around. A couple of forced turnovers brought the Hawks advantage to eight, but that was as close as it would get. Kerr put an exclamation on a dominant performance, killing Fanshawe on the glass with a pair of offensive rebounds leading to buckets. With time running out and the lead nearing twenty, Nofuente and Kerr brought it home with a pair of beautiful finishes around the rim; when the final buzzer went, Humber had themselves a resounding 68-48 that vaulted them back into a tie for first with Mohawk.
The win extends the blue and gold's win streak to five, and this was certainly among the team's most impressive performances to this point in the season. Llyandra Kerr's work down low places her among the OCAA's most dominant bigs, and the Hawks depth is the envy of Ontario. Next up for Humber is next Thursday's home match-up with Niagara, where they will be looking to sweep the season series with the Knights.
For full season standings, statistics, schedules and more please visit http://ocaa.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/standings-include.
