HAWKS DEFEAT SAULT 73-60, CAN MOVE INTO TOP SPOT SUNDAY
UPDATE: The Hawks defeated Sault 73-60 on Saturday night; it was the teams third straight win and improves their record to 11-1 on the season. The blue and gold currently sit second in the OCAA's Western Division, a game back of Mohawk with two games in hand. Humber will look to sweep the weekend doubleheader on Sunday when they play these same Cougars at 3pm.
OCAA'S STINGIEST DEFENSE HEADED TO SAULT FOR DOUBLE HEADER
The Men's Basketball Team is headed to Sault for a doubleheader this weekend, looking to extend their strong start to the season's second half. The Hawks have beaten Fanshawe and Niagara by a combined 48 points since play resumed, and hold a slight advantage over Mohawk in what is a tight race for top spot in the Western Division.
Humber's depth has been a big part of its success, with a reserve unit that is the OCAA's strongest and leave no drop off from the first to second unit. Leading the way have been versatile wings Chad Bewley and Ancil Martin, who are shooting 57 and 67 percent from the field respectively while providing versatility on the defensive end. Guards RJ Ramirez and Curwin Elvis have given the Hawks backcourt depth, and are a big part of the reason that the team's on ball pressure has created more than ten steals and nearly nineteen turnovers a night. The two may also be the Hawks quickest pair up the court, creating transition opportunities and easy looks for the provinces fourth highest scoring team. Kenny Ejim has been a potent scoring option off the bench, shooting sixty percent from the floor and one of the Hawks best players on the break.
Point Guard Gibson Eduful has been the team's leader, playing strong on-ball defense and putting numbers up across the board. His steady influence has been crucial for the teams offense, getting the Hawks into their sets and breaking the press when needed. Number three owns averages of 9.5 points, a team leading 4.7 assists and 2.4 steals, while shooting 48.3%. The third year veteran is having his strongest season to date, undoubtedly among the teams most irreplaceable players. Starting wings Junior Davis and Brayden Gohn have each shot over fifty percent, with Gohn's surprising athleticism resulting in numerous highlight reel plays and Davis liable to heat up at any time.
The team's backbone resides in the post, where all-time single season rebounding record holder Tyrone Dickson sets the tone on a nightly basis. The 6'5" power forward leads the team in both rebounding (10.3) and blocks (2.7) and has an uncanny knack for finding the ball in traffic. Reading the ball off the rim and perfect timing contribute to Dickson's high basketball IQ, and are a big reason for the Hawks stinginess on the defensive end. Flanking him in the post is Vule Grujic, the towering 6'10" center who consistently changes shots at the rim. Grujic has averaged 10.8 points a night, and more than seven rebounds a night.
The blue and gold have nine players hovering around the twenty minutes a game mark, and their ability to stay fresh is a big reason why they have a tendency for strong play in the second half. Humber will be looking to continue their perfect start to the second half, with tip-off set for 8pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday. Stay tuned to @HumberHawks for updates throughout the weekend.
For full seasons standings, statistics, schedules and more please visit http://ocaa.com/sports/mbkb/2014-15/standings-include.
