Men's Basketball falls to Durham, wins OCAA silver medal

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE — No. 1 Humber men's basketball (21-1) captured the OCAA silver medal for the fourteenth time in the program's history after falling to the No. 7 Durham Lords (21-1) 67-61 on Sunday afternoon at the Hawks' Nest. 

Now, the Hawks set their sights on the big dance. Humber will compete in the 2025 CCAA Men's Basketball National Championship in Montreal from March 10 to 15. 

Game Recap 

The No. 1 Humber Hawks and the No. 7 Durham Lords took the court, each fighting for the right to be called best in Ontario. Two teams with the best records in the province were meeting for the first and only time this season in the 2025 OCAA Men's Basketball Championship final. 

The Hawks' mission was to defend their title and claim a third gold medal in four seasons under head coach Omar Miles. Humber entered the final as the undisputed powerhouse, riding an undefeated season and three dominant playoff victories on their path to gold. On the other hand, the Lords were back to the championship game for the first time since 1997, eager for redemption after last year's semifinal loss to Humber. After upsetting the No. 4 St. Clair Saints in the semifinals, they carried momentum and a hunger for victory. One game. One shot at Ontario supremacy. 

The crowd at the Hawks' Nest watched a very physical game from the opening tip, with both teams crowding the paint and making every possession a fight. Jalen Menzies and Kameron David cashed a pair of wing threes to give Humber a slim 10-9 edge with four minutes left. Driving to the rim was no easy task against Durham's towering frontline, led by Rashane Smith, Zach Morris and Mark Stoop, all over six-foot-five. The first quarter ended in a tight 15-12 lead for Humber. 

After a contested first quarter, Humber found its rhythm in the second. Third-year player Adrian Aluyi took over on the offensive glass, converting buckets off offensive rebounds as the Hawks opened up an 18-9 run in the first five minutes of play. But just as Humber seemed poised to pull away, their offence cooled off. The Lords capitalized, with Max Voorpool leading the charge, scoring five of the Lords' seven points. At halftime, Humber's lead had narrowed to 35-28. 

It seemed that only one team returned to the second half. The Hawks' offence was a nightmare while Durham seized the momentum. Stoop poured in nine points as the Lords took the lead 47-46 to edge ahead at the end of the quarter. 

The tension in the fourth quarter was palpable, with every fan on edge as both teams battled fiercely for gold. The Lords surged ahead, taking a five-point lead at 60-55 with 2:46 left on the clock, and from there, never looked back. 

The Hawks could not recover, falling to the Lords 67-61 and capturing the OCAA silver medal. 

Player of the Game

• Jalen Menzies 

Tournament All-Stars

• Kwabena Antwi
• Adrian Aluyi 

Game Notes

• The Hawks won the program's 37th OCAA medal (16 gold, 14 silver, seven bronze).
• Humber has a 24-7 all-time record against Durham; 5-4 in the postseason.
• This was Humber's first postseason loss at home since 1987. The Hawks fall to 33-2 all-time at home in the OCAA postseason.
• This was Durham's first win against Humber since 1998 and the first win at the Nest since 1996.
• The Hawks hold a 17-15 all-time record in the OCAA gold medal game. 

What's Next?

Top-ranked Humber will now head to the 2025 CCAA Men's Basketball National Championship hosted by the Vanier Cheetahs in Montreal, Que. The championship will take place from March 10 to March 15 at the Vanier College Gymnasium. Visit humberhawks.ca for more information during the tournament.