No. 8 Women's Basketball Beats St. Lawrence to Advance to OCAA Final Eight
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Lawrence (K) (6-10) | 15 | 21 | 13 | 16 | 65 |
|
Humber (17-1) | 23 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 102 |
ETOBICOKE - In OCAA crossover playoff action on Saturday night at the Humber Athletic Centre, No. 8 Humber defeated the St. Lawrence Vikings, 102-65, to advance to the 2020 OCAA Women's Basketball Championship at St. Clair College next week in Windsor.
Humber (18-1), the West Division champions, struggled out of the gate against the Vikings (5-12). Although they eventually led after first-quarter play, 23-15, it was tight until the last two minutes in the frame.
The Hawks were bolstered early by the fine play of veteran Amber Bechard, who scored three consecutive baskets to start the game. Beyond Bechard's early heroics, the other four starters failed to find any flow. It was a number of changes by Hawks head coach Ajay Sharma that seemed to change the game.
As the second quarter opened, the hometown Hawks started to take over, eventually outscoring St. Lawrence, 28-21, which propelled them to a 41-26 lead at the break.
The veteran presence of Jahnae Gyles (20 pts), Amber Bechard (18 pts) and Miea Campbell-Johnson (18 pts) came to light in the second half, from both the defensive and offensive sides of the game. They bore down, limiting the opposition to limited good looks while padding their point totals.
But, it was second-year shooting guard Teija Wareham who came off the bench to stun the visitors and steal the show with a game-high 23 points. For her efforts, Wareham was selected as the Hawk Nation Player of the Game.
Humber Highlights
- Teija Wareham recorded a career-high 23 points in the win, finishing a perfect 10-for-10 from the floor.
- Humber improves to 7-2 all-time in the crossover round.
- The Hawks scored 100-plus points in an OCAA postseason game for the second time in program history and the first time since 1999.
What's Next?
No. 8 Humber will open the 2020 OCAA Championship on March 6 against the Sheridan Bruins (10-9).
