No. 1 Men's Basketball rolls Sheridan to finish season undefeated
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sheridan (11-6, 11-6) | 18 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 72 |
|
Humber (18-0, 18-0) | 27 | 17 | 27 | 19 | 90 |
By: William Shoukri
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE - Top-ranked Humber men's Basketball (18-0, 1st West) took down Sheridan (11-6, 3rd West) at home in the 132nd edition of The Game, capping off their perfect season with a commanding 90-72 victory. Adrian Aluyi led the way for Humber, putting up a 14-point 11 rebound double-double. Jalen Menzies was a blur defensively, collecting a game-high four steals.
Game Recap
It was seniors night at the Hawks Nest on Wednesday, with Humber playing its last regular season game of the year. Jalen Menzies, Malik Grant, and Kameron David were all honoured for their impact on the program over their respective careers.
It was a good start for the best team in the nation in front of a Hawks Nest with standing-room only. Jalen Menzies caught the Bruins sleeping early, scoring four points and adding two steals in the opening minute, which got Humber to a quick four-point lead.
After a flurry of baskets to open the game, both teams stayed close, with Humber holding down slim leads.
In the quarter's final minutes, leading 15-14 and smelling gas in the air, Humber was looking for a spark.
Unsurprisingly, it was Jalen Menzies who lit the flames. Number 23 sank a deep three, sparking a 9-4 run to end the quarter. Christian Desjardins ended the quarter with a bang, hitting a buzzer-beating three to end the frame, with Humber leading 27-18.
After the dramatics at the end of the opening quarter, it was a sluggish start to the second for both squads. Humber dominated defensively, stifling Sheridan's rushes, but struggled to create offence themselves.
At the midway point of the quarter, Sheridan put together a 12-5 run, pulling within six points of the Hawks. Not to be deterred, though, Humber scored five consecutive points, bringing the Bruins right back to where they were, down by double digits.
Sheridan would sink a couple of baskets to close out the quarter, sending Humber into halftime leading 44-39. Adrian Aluyi led the way through the first half, scoring seven points and adding eight rebounds in just 10 minutes.
Back from the break, the two teams were deadlocked, trading baskets and trading fouls as the game got scrappy. Sheridan couldn't close the gap and was getting frustrated. Humber bottled the Bruins' frustration and turned it into energy, forcing turnovers and getting the crowd riled up.
Humber rode that energy for the rest of the quarter, slowly adding to its lead down the stretch.
Humber would go into the final quarter leading 70-58 on the back of five last-minute points from Romeo Osas-Joshua and nine third-quarter points from Isaiah Brady-Clarke.
Humber opened the final frame of its regular season with a 5-0 run, forcing Sheridan into a timeout just two minutes into the quarter.
The brief pause did nothing for the Bruins as Humber continued to pile on, taking a 20-point lead just seconds later.
That was all the Hawks would need in this one as Humber closed out the 132nd edition of the Game with a statement victory, winning 90-72 and finishing its perfect season.
Humber Highlights
- Humber is now 66-66 all-time against Sheridan. The series is back to .500 for the first time since 2015.
- The Hawks became the first West Division team to finish the season 18-0, surpassing the record of 16 set by the Bruins in 2017.
- Humber owns the longest winning streak in the OCAA with 18 consecutive victories. They have also won 24 straight against OCAA opponents.
- Malik Grant is eighth in the OCAA in assists, averaging 4.3 APG.
What's Next?
No. 1 Humber will face the eighth seed out of the East Division in the OCAA qualifier at home on February 15.
