DEFENDING CHAMPS DOWNED AS MOUNTAINEERS ADVANCE PAST HUMBER

WINDSOR, Ont. - The 2023 OCAA Men's Basketball Provincial Championship tipped off at 1 p.m. today with the first quarter-final of the tournament, a contest that featured the defending OCAA and CCAA Champion Humber Hawks (9-9) taking on the nationally ranked No. 11 Mohawk Mountaineers (14-4). The Mountaineers won both meetings this year between the West Division opponents, defeating Humber 83-80 on the road in the first semester and routing the Hawks at home 96-72 in the second term.

The Mountaineers captured the victory to kick off the tournament with a 93-81 win over the defending champion Humber Hawks to advance and play will in semi-final No. 1 on Saturday, March 4th at 4 p.m. Mohawk now awaits the winner of quarter-final No. 2 featuring the No. 2-nationally ranked George Brown Huskies (17-1) who will face the Niagara Knights (11-7) at 3 p.m.

Mohawk came out firing in the first quarter, forcing contested shots and turnovers from the defending champs, opening a 26-16 lead after the opening frame. Humber punched back in the second quarter, sorting out their shooting woes and raining down triples at the SportsPlex to the tune of a 32-point quarter, taking a 48-44 lead into the intermission.

The halftime break allowed the Mountaineers to regroup and find their offensive rhythm from the first quarter as they took a narrow 69-67 lead heading into the final frame. Humber guard Dwayne Lambert-Cadore (Rexdale, Ont.) picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and didn't return until early in the fourth quarter. During that timeframe, Mohawk opened a double-digit lead, leading by as many as 14 in the final quarter on their way to a hard fought 93-81.

Mohawk, known for their three-point shooting, struggled from beyond the arc making only six triples and shooting 23 per cent from distance but made up for it with 48 per cent overall shooting and 48 points in the paint. Mohawk's defence also limited Humber to 38 per cent from the field and only one second half triple.

A balanced scoring attack from Mohawk had five players reach double figures, lead by point guard Daniel Graham (Hamilton, Ont.) with 20 points. Brothers Cale Calura (Hamilton, Ont.) and Rommel Calura (Hamilton, Ont.) had big contributions with 19 points and 17 points respectively. Jerry Jr. Mercury (Scarborough, Ont.) had a double-double for the Mountaineers with 15 points and 13 rebounds and Raivone Young (Halifax, N.S.) rounded out the Mohawk double figure scorers with 10 points.

On the Humber side, Lambert-Cadore lead all scorers with 28 points. He was joined by Raheem Dennis (Mississauga, Ont.) with 16 points and Kyle Brown-Fazekas (Windsor, Ont.) with 11 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort.

Lambert-Cadore was named Player of the Game for the Hawks, while Mercury was named Player of the Game for the victorious Mountaineers.

Source: St. Clair Saints