MOHAWK MEN'S BASKETBALL PLACE FOURTH AT NATIONALS

CCAA Bronze Final: Camosun Chargers 48, Mohawk Mountaineers 44

Going into this matchup, neither team had won a national bronze medal. Camosun entered in pursuit of their first national medal in program history, while Mohawk fought for their first national medal since winning it all in 2012.

As expected between two of the top defensive teams in the tournament, the first quarter was a low scoring affair. The Chargers, galvanized by a raucous crowd, took a 10-8 lead into the second quarter, staving off a tie thanks to a late jumper from Cormick Brown. The second was similarly tense, as the Mountaineers quickly tied it, then took the lead on a pair of shots from Marko Dosen. The Chargers quickly responded with a corner three from Owen Jones and pirouette layup from Aidan Walsh and went into halftime up 17-16.

The Mountaineers rallied and outscored the Chargers 16-12 in the third quarter. A vicious dunk from Jailen Jackson followed immediately by a layup from Iverson Chong looked to provide Mohawk a large enough cushion, but Owen Jones hit a three at the buzzer to cut the deficit to three with 10 minutes to play.

Chong hit a three in retaliation to get it back up to six, but the Mountaineers would see their lead disintegrate into ash. Their stout defence buckled under a superhuman effort from Camosun's backcourt. Even as Kazim Raza hit a jumper after diving after a loose ball into the Chargers bench, David Finch scored nine points in the quarter, going out in a blaze of glory in his final game with the Chargers.

The Chargers took the lead for good on a baseline layup from Finch, forcing the Mountaineers to foul twice. Owen Jones, who grew up in Victoria, hit both of his free throws to ice the game.

For the first time in program history, the Chargers are taking home a piece of national hardware.

Finch deservedly won Camosun's 4Imprint Player of the Game Award, scoring all of his game-high 16 points in the second half. He also added nine rebounds and recorded two massive blocks. Jones added 10 points off the bench, including the game-winning free throws.

Chong was the lone player to conquer Camosun's relentless defence, scoring nine points. Raza and Scott Jenkins each scored six, while Jerry Jr. Mercury added nine rebounds.

This marked the final game for several players on both teams. Mohawk honoured Jenkins, while Camosun bid farewell to Brown, Cole Belton, Marc Parma, David Featherston Jr., and Finch. 

While Mohawk's season ends without a medal in tow, they have reason to be excited for 2027 as the host team for that year's national championship in Hamilton. Both of those teams are expected to be contenders for a national title next season.

CCAA Bronze Semi-Final: Mohawk Mountaineers 94, Lethbridge Kodiaks 70

The first bronze semifinal matchup featured two wildcard teams: The ACAC's Lethbridge Kodiaks and the OCAA's Mohawk Mountaineers.

The first half saw the Mountaineers demonstrate the scoring prowess that they showed against Keyano, scoring over 25 points in the first two quarters. A pair of driving layups from graduating guard Scott Jenkins was the icing on the cake as Mohawk took a 54-33 lead into halftime.

Lethbridge didn't want their season to end prematurely and roared back in the third quarter. Randall Mongard scored 10 points in the quarter as the Kodiaks got as close as within seven, but Mohawk hit the gas in the fourth, outscoring Lethbridge 26-13 in the final frame to punch their ticket to the bronze match.

Iverson Chong and Jenkins tied for Mohawk's points lead with 16. Serendipitously, they also each recorded three rebounds and three steals each. Jenkins was named Mohawk's 4Imprint Player of the Game as he prepares for his final collegiate game on Saturday afternoon.

Nathaniel Hosannah led the game with 23 points for Lethbridge and was named their 4Imprint Player of the Game. Randall Mongard added 18 points in the setback while Marley Kenion grabbed 11 rebounds.

The Mountaineers advance to the bronze medal game and will face the PACWEST wildcard Camosun Chargers at 3 p.m. PT.

CCAA Bronze Semi-Final: Camosun Chargers 66, Humber Hawks 62

The final match of the day saw the Humber Hawks clash with the Camosun Chargers. Humber was only a day removed from a semifinal loss to VIU, while Camosun had just won a riveting bronze quarterfinal matchup with the Keyano Huskies.

Both teams emphasized strong defence and unselfish offence, making this one of the most even matchups in the tournament.

The first quarter displayed that equality, as each team scored 15 points, including a layup from Kwabena Antwi at the buzzer. The second quarter was a demonstration of Camosun's resolve as they outscored the Hawks 21-13, mainly on the back of Tyler Synesael and David Finch.

Humber mounted a furious comeback in the third quarter, outscoring the Chargers 23-12 and stunning the crowd on a Nathan Savage buzzer beater from three-quarters court to take the lead. However, they also lost CCAA Player of the Year Malik Grant to injury, and without their primary frontcourt engine, the Hawks ran out of answers for Camosun's multifaceted attack.

The Chargers gained the lead on a running floater from Cole Belton and a pair of free throws from David Finch. The Hawks came back to get within a basket in the final 10 seconds but they used too much time to get there, allowing Camosun to bleed out the clock and advance to the bronze match.

David Finch, Camosun's 4Imprint Player of the Game, scored 20 points in the victory. He also added two blocks, including a crucial one on Antwi, Humber's 4Imprint Player of the Game, in the fourth quarter.

Antwi himself had a memorable fourth quarter, scoring six points and driving the Humber attack. On the day, he had 13 points, tied for the team lead with Adrian Aluyi.

The Chargers will face the OCAA wildcard Mohawk Mountaineers on Saturday for national bronze. Neither team has won bronze before and Mohawk hasn't won a national medal since their national title in 2012.

CCAA Semi-Final: Dynamiques de Brébeuf 85, Mohawk Mountaineers 71

History was at stake for these two teams. The Dynamiques de Brebeuf were on the verge of their first national championship appearance in program history, while the Mohawk Mountaineers were searching for their first appearance since 2012.

The early goings proved fortunate for the Dynamiques, as their San Antonio-like ball movement left Mohawk's defence in a trance. Three consecutive threes from Adam Alami, Aven Allana, and Mael Coutou put them up six, which was enough of a cushion. Another corner three from Malek Alphonse was the icing on the cake for an epic first quarter that saw Brebeuf lead by nine.

The second quarter saw both teams kick their offence into high gear, scoring almost 40 combined points. Nonetheless, untimely fouls from Mohawk and quick shooting from Brebeuf saw the lead grow to 10 at the half.

In a tournament filled with close games, the Dynamiques wanted to close out the Mountaineers as soon as they could. As Mohawk continued to miss shots, it looked like Brebeuf would make good on that promise.

Mohawk remained stubborn and continued to chip away deep into the fourth quarter, getting the lead down to eight with a pair of free throws from Iverson Chong. Brebeuf continued their torrid pace, crushing Mohawk's hopes with a slam dunk from Alphonse and a huge block from Samuel Desrochers to cruise to victory.

Alphonse was stellar in the game, scoring 19 points off the bench on 7-of-10 shooting. Mael Coutou equalled his point production while adding five rebounds and was named Brebeuf's 4Imprint Player of the Game. Samuel Desrochers added 13 points and two massive blocks.

Chong was named Mohawk's 4Imprint Player of the Game, leading all scorers with 20 points while adding a steal and two assists. Jerry Jr. Mercury held down the boards, grabbing 13 rebounds and coming one point shy of a double-double.

The Dynamiques will play for national gold on Saturday night against VIU. Mohawk shifts to the bronze semifinals and will take on Lethbridge at 5 p.m. PT Friday.

CCAA Semi-Final: VIU Mariners 81, Humber Hawks 60

Not far removed from a riveting quarter-final victory over Lethbridge, the Mariners returned to the friendly confines of the VIU Gymnasium for a heavyweight bout against the defending CCAA national champion Humber Hawks.

Humber took an early lead off a pair of jumpers from Nathan Savage and Dwayne Burke and led by as much as six after an Isaiah Brady-Clarke jumper, but the home team wasn't about to go out quietly.

The Mariners pieced together basket after basket, leading by as much as seven after a fadeaway jumper from Kye Kotapski-Tinga, but a response from Adrian Aluyi brought it back within five.

Two free throws from Victoire Ndongo to begin the second quarter got the lead down to three, but that's as close as it would get for the rest of the game. The Hawks only scored nine first quarter points to VIU's 21, including a three from Kye Kotapski-Tinga at the buzzer.

The third quarter got off to a slow start for both teams as Humber committed a shot clock violation and VIU struggled to finish at the rim, but a pair of Winston Cole free throws and a straightaway three from Markus Modrovic got the crowd back into it. Benny Kazadi did most of Humber's damage in the quarter with six points, helping the Hawks climb back into the game.

The fourth quarter turned into a runaway. As VIU hit shot after shot and the hometown crowd got rowdier by the minute, Humber was always one step behind despite consistently making their field goals.

Winston Cole's three with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter proved to be the dagger. As Humber slinked off the court to a funeral dirge of cowbells and bam bams, the Mariners rode the wave all the way to the date with Brebeuf in the national title game. It marks the fifth time the Mariners have played for national gold, and the first since 2019.

Cole led all scorers with 19 points while taking a game-high 19 shots. Ryan Bastian added 10 points in the victory, while Kye Kotapski-Tinga added 17 off the bench. Also off the bench came VIU's 4Imprint Player of the Game, Markus Modrovic, who recorded a 14-10 double-double.

Savage was named Humber's 4Imprint Player of the Game, scoring 14 points. Brady-Clarke followed close behind with 10 points, while Aluyi grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Mariners will face the RSEQ champion Dynamiques de Brebeuf in the gold match on Saturday. The Hawks move to the bronze bracket and will face the Camosun Chargers on Friday at 7 p.m. PT.

CCAA Quarter-Final: Mohawk Mountaineers 88, Keyano Huskies 84

Nationals kicked off in spectacular fashion with a quarter-final matchup between the ACAC champion Keyano Huskies and the OCAA wildcard Mohawk Mountaineers.

Mohawk entered as the OCAA's wildcard, having lost to the Humber Hawks in the OCAA's gold medal game. Conversely, Keyano enters with an ACAC gold medal in tow, having recently concluded an epic playoff run which saw them topple the top-ranked SAIT Trojans in the semifinals.

Mohawk coach Jamie Girolametto emphasized the importance of slowing down Keyano's efficient offence, opting not to institute a proper full-court press, but to "extend [our] man defence into the full court."

The first quarter showed just how evenly matched these two teams are. Though Keyano held the lead for lengthy stretches, the Mountaineers were always close.

A three-pointer from graduating forward Keenan Miller got the Keyano lead up to four, but that's as large as it would get. A late floater from fourth-year forward Marko Dosen gave the Mountaineers a one-point lead going into the second quarter.

The early second quarter was more of the same as neither team could pull away. Eventually, the Huskies found their shooting form and got the lead up to seven with a side-step three from graduating guard Tafari Carefoote-Jones, sending Keyano's already thunderous bench into a frenzy.

Mohawk refused to be outdone and began a 9-2 run punctuated with an and-one layup from Kazim Raza. Those would be the last points of the half, however, as both teams went into halftime deadlocked at 45.

In the third quarter, the pendulum swung hard for Mohawk. After an early runner from Keenan Miller, the Mountaineers scored seven straight points and flexed their newfound control of the game. Though the Huskies would keep it close and take the lead on a Tafari Carefoote-Jones three, they would only see the lead one more time.

The Mountaineers got many chances from the free throw line and made them count. Iverson Chong and Kazim Raza caught fire in the fourth quarter, pitching in from all three levels. Though the Huskies nearly mounted a legendary comeback, their past fouls were too great to overcome as the Mountaineers escaped the quarter-finals by the skin of their teeth.

Raza led all scorers with 25 points and was named Mohawk's 4Imprint Player of the Game. Chong added 24 points on 64 per cent shooting, while Paul Omofoma added two blocks off the bench.

Keyano's leading scorer was Miller with 17 points. Evan Meyer wasn't too far behind, finishing with 14 points while converting all his field goal attempts and being named Keyano's 4Imprint Player of the Game.

The Mountaineers advance to the national semifinals tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. PT against Jean-de-Brébeuf. The Huskies pivot to the bronze side of the bracket and will play the Camosun Chargers at 1 p.m. PT.

CCAA Quarter-Final: Humber Hawks 82, St. Thomas Tommies 78

Despite Humber's status as the reigning champions of both the OCAA and the country at large, coach Omar Miles hasn't let his players grow complacent.

He treats it as a new season fit for only the hardest working teams in the country, which both teams showed in their conference title games. "It's a special opportunity," he added.

Both teams showed they had the muscle to compete at the highest level in the first quarter, but the Hawks quickly demonstrated their championship pedigree.

That talent was put on full display in the first quarter, going on a 12-0 run before the five-minute mark. St. Thomas, while able to stop Humber's scoring opportunities, found themselves stymied by the Hawks defence. The first quarter concluded with Humber up by 15.

The early second quarter was all Tommies. They got contributions from all around the lineup to get the lead down to as low as one point, but the Hawks were able to stave off a blown lead, at least temporarily, and go into halftime up by three.

St. Thomas continued the rally coming out of the half, taking the lead on a Vincent Lyttleton straightaway three. Not wanting to lose the lead they'd spent all game caring for, the Hawks battened down the hatches in the latter half of the quarter, though their once mighty lead dwindled to only one with one quarter left to play.

The Hawks kicked into high gear in the fourth quarter despite continued pressure from St. Thomas. St. Thomas' epic comeback falls just short as the Hawks advance to the national semifinals.

The Hawks were led by Adrian Aluyi's 16 points and seven rebounds. CCAA Player of the Year Malik Grant added 14, while Benny Kazadi added 13 points off the bench and was named Humber's 4Imprint Player of the Game.

Vincent Lyttleton took home the 4Imprint Player of the Game award for St. Thomas, scoring 22 points on 33 per cent shooting. Jeven Eddy posted a 14-10 double-double, while Marcus Wilson and River Lanz combined for 27 points.

The Hawks continue their title defence on Thursday night where they will face the host VIU Mariners in a national semifinal at 8 p.m. PT. St. Thomas shifts their focus to the bronze bracket and will face Lethbridge at 3 p.m. PT.

CCAA Championship Site: www.ccaa.ca/sports/mbkb/championship/index

Source: VIU Mariners/CCAA Communications