Perfect first half for No. 4 Men's Basketball
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lambton (4-6, 4-6) | 15 | 20 | 23 | 13 | 71 |
|
Humber (10-0, 10-0) | 25 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 78 |
By: William Shoukri
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE - No. 4 Humber men's basketball (10-0, 1st West) stayed undefeated with a 78-71 win against Lambton (5-5, 5th West) on Sunday at the Hawks Nest. Jalen Menzies led the way offensively with 23 points and player of the game honours, and Malik Grant had a complete performance, scoring 11 and adding nine rebounds and four assists.
Game Recap
Fresh off besting the No.1 team in the nation, it was a quick start for Humber. Actually, quick start is an understatement. The Hawks opened the game with a 16-2 run, killing any energy that the Lions had brought with them.
The pace of the game was surprisingly fast, and the play was clean, considering both of these squads were on the tail end of a back-to-back, with Lambtons' including travel.
After a slow start, the Lions had their wits about them by the midway point of the quarter, keeping pace with Humber's scoring but not closing the gap.
Lambton would close the gap slightly in the back end of the quarter, but Humber didn't allow the momentum to switch sides.
After ten minutes of play, Humber would lead 25-15, with Jalen Menzies leading the way with seven points.
Now settled into the game, Lambton came out the way it needed to. Humber was still playing a solid game, but Lambton was no longer shell-shocked, and things didn't come as easily as they did in the first for the Hawks.
It was tight, fast-paced basketball for the back half of the quarter. Both teams looked even, with Humber maintaining the lead created in the first quarter but unable to expand on it.
The half would end with Humber leading 46-35, outscoring Lambton by a single point in the quarter.
Humber had a sloppy start in the second half. The Hawks let Lambton climb back into the game and by the midway point of the quarter, Humber was hanging on to a three-point-lead.
The Hawks knew the game was slipping away and dialled in quickly. Two solid defensive stops, capped off by a Kwabena Antwi steal-and-lay, forced Lambton into a timeout, and Humber regrouped.
The Hawks held their lead through three quarters, leading 63-59 going into the all-important fourth quarter. The offence dried up for both teams in the fourth. At the midway point the squads had combined for just 11 points.
In the back end of the quarter, Humber took the game out of reach. Clutch buckets from Jalen Menzies and defensive plays from Malik Grant secured the victory for Humber.
After a few scary moments, Humber would win the game 78-71, staying undefeated and showing impressive resilience against a Lambton team that came to play.
Humber Highlights
- Humber turns over the ball less than any other team in the OCAA.
- Even with the best record in the OCAA, Humber doesn't have a single player in the OCAA"s top five in points, rebound, or assists. Humber has the best bench in the OCAA.
- Humber is one of three teams in the OCAA who averages less than 70 points against/game.
What's Next?
After a five-week break, No. 4 Mens Basketball will open the second half of their season on the road in a rematch against Lambton (5-5-, 5th West). Tipoff is set for 5:00 PM.
