Seventh Heaven: Men's Basketball Wins 2022 CCAA National Championship

Home sweet Humber.

A magical run summarized by three words.

It was a run for the ages, one that will never be duplicated again. A perfect season, seven straight postseason victories on home court, all culminating with the words of legendary announcer Herbie Kuhn that echoed throughout the North Campus Athletic Centre, "your Humber Hawks, the 2022 CCAA Men's Basketball National Champions."

In a rematch of the provincial championship just ten days prior, the Hawks battled the St. Clair Saints, this time for national bragging rights. The hard-fought victory saw Humber capture the program's seventh CCAA title – its first since 2015.

The atmosphere was surreal. Former players, famous alumni, family, friends, and fans packed the gym to witness history. In 46 years, only two programs have captured the national title on home court, something the Hawks have now done twice.

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DeQuon Cascart finished with a team-high 28 points in the win, while Kevin Otoo added 25 points of his own. Frank Mitchell continued his double-double run, posting 20 points while grabbing 17 rebounds. Dwayne Lambert-Cadore finished with a career-high 15 points to round out Humber's double-digit scorers in the win.

Playing in front of the raucous home crowd, Humber had a strong start to the game and took a 14-point lead heading into the break. Despite having a decent lead for most of the night, with less than a minute remaining, it was only a two-possession game. Tough defence and clutch free throws sealed the victory for Humber, 101-94.

At the final whistle, emotions soared as the players embraced. Humber overcame the obstacles thrown in front of them, never losing sight of the final goal. A global pandemic, an abbreviated season, the loss of alumnus Kenny Ejim. It all played a major role in making this title that much more important. In front of family and friends, and on the court where they spilled their blood, sweat, and tears, the players celebrated as national champions.

Hired two years ago to bring Humber back to the top, this was the first official season for Omar Miles as the bench boss. The Coach O era is like none before it. A perfect 16-0 record, a national and provincial title and a squad that went from teammates to family in three short months.

Culture over everything.

Three more words summarized what the revamped program represented. Dozens of men's basketball alumni flooded the North Campus Gym, cheering on the student-athletes tasked with continuing the strong winning tradition they helped create.

Led by hall of fame head coach Mike Katz, men's basketball was the first Humber dynasty, capturing four national titles between 1991 and 1995. Legends like Patrick Rhodd, Everton Webb, O'Neil Henry, Mark Croft and Doug Lawrie – to name a few – had their presence felt.

Their banners, their names, and their legacies live on forever and they will now be welcoming new members into their exclusive club. 

In a postgame ceremony, Coach Miles addressed his players and the alumni, explaining the important role these former athletes have with Humber basketball.

"It's incredibly important to recognize the past and your significance in establishing the foundation of this program," said Coach Miles to the alumni. "Hawks family is not just a saying, it's what we are built upon."

As the evening slowly turned into the morning, the excitement, the atmosphere, and the emotions of the night could all be summed up in three words:

Home sweet Humber.