BIG SECOND-HALF PUSHES No. 11 HUMBER BY ST. CLAIR, 98-86
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Clair (7-12) | 24 | 19 | 18 | 25 | 86 |
|
Humber (16-4) | 23 | 18 | 23 | 34 | 98 |
By Nick Suddes
ETOBICOKE, Ont -- The No. 11 Humber men's basketball (15-4, 2nd West) defeated the visiting St. Clair Saints (7-11, 8th West) 98-86, Saturday evening on Grad Night at the Humber North Campus Gym.
Fouls plagued both teams in the opening quarter as they were both in the bonus before the three-minute mark. All the stoppages led to a much slower pace of play than the Hawks were accustomed to, as they struggled to score in the half court. Humber shot just 30 percent in the quarter but battled for extra possessions on the offensive glass. This along with Humber shooting 90 percent on their free throws kept the score close. Humber trailed by just one after the quarter, despite the slow start.
The Hawks' offence continued to struggle to create open looks in the second frame, as the Saints did a good job of contesting shots at the rim and on the perimeter. By halftime, Byron Trench was the only Humber player in double figures with his ten points. Jermaine Lynch led the way for the Saints, shooting an efficient 6-11 (54.5 percent) in the half for 18 points. The Hawks still only trailed 43-41 at the break, thanks in large to Trench's early play.
Humber continued to fight for buckets before going on a run 8-3 halfway through the third quarter. The run was capped off with a huge three by DeQuon Cascart igniting the Hawks' bench. The team rode the surge of energy through to the end of the quarter, picking up the intensity on both ends. They finished the frame up three with the score at 64-61.
Humber began the final quarter with another run, scoring six straight points before the Saints would answer. The nine-point lead marked the biggest differential in the game as Humber slowly chipped away at St. Clair. An and-one by Trench followed by a three from Cascart took the life from the Saints, as the Hawks ran them off the floor in the fourth. By the time St. Clair head coach Ricardo Tate called a timeout halfway through the quarter it was suddenly a 17-point lead for Humber. Humber closed out the frame putting up 34 points on 62 percent shooting.
The Hawks Nation Player of the Game was awarded to both graduating players for the Hawks, Jordan Rose and Curwin Elvis.
Humber Highlights
- With his nine points in the game, C.J. Bennett became the 13th Humber player to join the 300-point club
- Byron Trench recorded his fourth double-double of the season finishing with a team-high 18 points to go along with ten rebounds.
- Fowzi Mohammoud finished with four 3-pointers made for the third time this season.
- Kenny Ejim finished with a season-high 12 rebounds.
- Kenny Ejim and C.J. Bennett become the first teammates to score 300-plus points in a season since Patrick Rhodd and Larry McNeil in 1991.
Game Notes
- Humber improves to 43-13 all-time against St. Clair in the regular season.
- The Hawks extend their win streak to a season-high six games.
- Head coach Patrick Au picked up his 30th OCAA win.
What's Next
No. 11 Humber will close out its 2017-18 regular season on the road next week against Redeemer (17-1, 1st West). Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. on February 21.
