No. 2 Men's Basketball holds off late rally from Mohawk

HAMILTON - In a game where each squad dominated one half, the No. 2 men's basketball team in the country defeated the Mohawk Mountaineers 88-82 on Wednesday night (Jan. 15) in Hamilton. Like in the win against the Saints last Sunday, Malik Grant and Jaelen Menzies were the key players, leading the team's offensive efforts. As a result, the Hawks extended their unbeaten streak in the competition (13-0) and further solidified their position in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) West Division standings.

Game Recap

The first two quarters belonged to the Hawks. The Mountaineers appeared distracted and shaken as if they hadn't yet recovered from their home loss to the Niagara Knights last Sunday. Humber, on the other hand, quickly found their rhythm, delivering a strong team performance enhanced by individual brilliance from Grant (17 points, 4 assists) and Menzies (16 points), as well as Isaiah Brady-Clarke (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Adrian Aluyi (11 points, 10 rebounds), who recorded his second consecutive double-double. The teams went into halftime with the Hawks leading by a comfortable margin: 52-38.

The last two quarters belonged to the Mountaineers. The division leaders seemed to relax with their lead. Slowly, the home team adjusted their game plan and stopped repeating the mistakes made earlier. Raivone Young (23 points, a season-high), Jailen Jackson (13 points, 7 rebounds), and Charlie Hennessy (12 points, 3 rebounds) found their groove and helped Mohawk climb back into the game. By the end of the third quarter, Humber led 70–60, but the gap was narrowing by the minute.

Midway through the final quarter, the difference had almost vanished. Despite the Hawks' efforts to contain the Mountaineers' momentum, they had little success. With just over three minutes left in the game, Mohawk tied the score after a beautiful three-point jump shot by Charlie Hennessy: 78-78. The blow seemed to awaken the Hawks, who, after another tie (80-80), took control of the game with a clutch three-pointer by Isaiah Brady-Clarke. With the lead back in their hands, Mohawk faltered on the court. A series of free throws and another jump shot by Clarke sealed the game for Coach Omar Miles' team at 88-82.

Humber Highlights

• The Hawks improve to 62-28 all-time against the Mountaineers.
• Only Humber and Durham (East) remain undefeated this season.
• Malik Grant is the fifth-highest scorer this season with 207 points. Parker Davis (Redeemer) leads the OCAA with 226.
• Adrian Aluyi (11 points, 10 rebounds) recorded the second double-double of his career.

What's Next?

After a three-game road stretch, the Hawks return to the Humber Athletic Centre at North Campus to host the Fanshawe Falcons next Saturday (Jan. 18). Tip-off is at 3 p.m., with live coverage on the Humber Sports Network (HSN) YouTube channel.