46-point victory for No.1 Men's basketball to open title defence

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE — No. 1 Humber men's basketball (19-0) put on a clinic Saturday night at the Hawks' Nest, dismantling the La Cité Coyotes (5-13) with a runaway 113-67 victory. The 46-point win marked the program's third-largest playoff victory. The Hawks' offence was a powerhouse, with four players recording double-digit scoring—Christian Desjardins, Dwayne Burke, Isaiah Brady-Clarke, Taujh Motiki-Stephens, Timothy Morant and Victoire Ndongo.

Game Recap

The OCAA playoffs had arrived, and the Humber Hawks were ready to fight for a fierce playoff run. As the West Division's best defence and the only undefeated team in Ontario, the Hawks had their sights set on a second straight provincial title.

Standing in their way were the La Cité Coyotes–underdogs on paper but fueled by a late-season surge. Despite their lower ranking, the Coyotes rode a wave of momentum after clawing their way into the playoffs with three straight wins to end the regular season. But against a powerhouse like Humber, they faced their toughest test yet.

In the first set, the Hawks' three-point shooting made an early impact, hitting four of seven from beyond the arc in the first five minutes of play, with Malik Grant sinking two. Humber built an 18-7 lead and dictated the pace, holding the Coyotes to 28.6 per cent shooting from the floor and just 14 points in the opening quarter.

Fresh off their 31-14 first-quarter lead, the Hawks kept firing from outside the three-point line. Humber scored on five straight possessions, with four coming from deep—Grant again, Timothy Morant and Victorie Ndongo twice drained threes as the crowd erupted. Humber overwhelmed La Cité with a 25-7 run, forcing the Coyotes to call a timeout at 56-21 with just over three minutes left. The final minutes of the half were a complete blowout, as Humber was already leading by 39 points, 65-26, heading into halftime.

Back from the break, the Hawks seemed to have left their offensive spark in the locker room. The Coyotes began to feel comfortable on the floor, outscoring Humber 13-11 in the first four minutes. La Cité capitalized on foul shots, nailed corner threes and exploited Humber's missed opportunities. Even from beyond the arc, the Hawks struggled, hitting just one of their five attempts with five minutes gone. But then, Humber's point guard Christian Desjardins delivered a dominant shift, scoring 10 points in just over two minutes, reigniting the Hawks' confidence heading into the final frame.

With a 94-50 score, the last quarter was a mere formality. Romeo Osas Joshua wasted no time, scoring on back-to-back possessions—draining a laser from downtown and converting an and-one layup—that would set the tone for the last 10 minutes of play.

The Hawks dominated the game, capturing an 113-67 victory. The win not only booked their spot in the OCAA quarterfinals but also marked the program's third-largest playoff win.

Second-year player Christian Desjardins was named the Player of the Game, recording a career-high 14 points, four steals, four assists and three rebounds.

Humber Highlights

• This was the first-ever meeting between Humber and La Cité.
• Humber's 46-point victory marked the program's third-largest playoff win.
• Christian Desjardins' 14 points are a career-high.
• Victorie Ndongo's 15 points are a career high.
• Dwayne Burke's 15 points are a career-high.

What's Next?

Top-ranked Humber has now booked its ticket to the OCAA quarter-final round. The Hawks will host the Algonquin Wolves (13-6) on Sunday, Feb. 23. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.