EJIM'S CAREER-HIGH LEADS HUMBER OVER NIAGARA, 92-61
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Niagara | 10 | 16 | 21 | 14 | 61 |
|
Humber | 21 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 92 |
By Bobby Mihalik
ETOBICOKE, Ont. – After joining the 500-point club in his last outing, Kenny Ejim of the Humber Hawks men's basketball team (12-4, 3rd West) became the twelfth player in Humber history to score over 300 points in a single season, as the Hawks cruised to a 92-61 win over the Niagara Knights (10-6, 4th West) Saturday night.
The night began with the Hawks jumping out to an early lead, scoring seven straight points to open the first. The Knights fought back, cutting their deficit down to two, before being bowled over by another Hawks rally. Scoring another seven consecutive points, the Hawks closed out the quarter with an 11-point lead. With 12 points in the first, shooting three for five from the field and netting two three-pointers, Kenny Ejim became the first Humber player in sixteen years to score 300 plus points in a season.
The Knights picked up their pace to start the second, netting eight points in the first four minutes. The Hawks continued their roll, however, maintaining their lead throughout the quarter on more dominant play from Ejim. The Knights strong start to the second disappeared under the weight of the Hawks offence, with Humber leading by 21 late in the quarter. A late Knights rally cut the lead down to 15, with the score 41-26 for Humber at the end of the first half. The Hawks had ten steals through the first two quarters and went 87.5 percent (7 of 8) from the free throw line.
Both teams increased their offensive output in the third as the Hawks responded to the Knights pressure by outscoring them once again. Scoring 23 points versus the Knights 21, the Hawks lead grew for the third straight quarter. Both teams took numerous fouls in the third, with the Hawks making 70 percent (7-of-10) of their attempts versus the Knights 42.9 percent (3-of-7). Ejim had another 11 points in the quarter, continuing to lead the charge for Humber.
The fourth belonged to the Hawks, outscoring the Knights 19-7 in the first six minutes of the quarter. As the Knights attempted to rally, Ejim took charge once again, netting a three-pointer and following it up with a dunk to put the Hawks up by 30 points. In the end, the Hawks would increase this lead by one, closing out the game with their best quarter and claiming victory by a score of 92-61. C.J. Bennett scored 13 points to lead the Hawks in the fourth, making 75 percent (3-of-4) of his three-point shots.
Ejim finished the game with 34 points, alongside four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, bringing up his point total for the season to 324. Curwin Elvis, who finished with 19 points and five assists, was named the Hawks Nation Player of the Game. Bennett had 16 points for the Hawks and led the team in steals and rebounds with six apiece.
Van Hutchinson Jr. led the Knights in scoring with 22 points and had 16 rebounds for a double-double. Johnnie Richardson had 13 points, and Kevin Cooper had four blocks.
With the win, the Hawks increase their win streak to three games, keeping pace in the West standings.
Humber Notes
- Kenny Ejim became the first Humber player since Fitzroy Woolery in 2001-02 to score over 300 points in a season.
- Humber hit double-digit 3-pointers for the eighth time this season.
- Curwin Elvis continues to lead the league in field goal percentage, shooting 62.2 percent (74-of-119) from the floors.
Game Notes
- Humber snapped its four-game regular season losing streak to Niagara, improving to 34-12 against the Knights.
- Seven players finished with at least one block for the Hawks.
What's Next
Up next for the Hawks is a road matchup against U of T Mississauga (2-14, 10th West) on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
