OCAA Gold Medal Game - Sheridan 76, George Brown 74

TORONTO, ONT., - Sheridan guard Dylan Periana was speechless after his team pulled out a dramatic win over the George Brown Huskies in the finale of the belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

The veteran Bruin has won two provincial championships before but never like this.

"It's amazing," Periana said. "I wouldn't have it end any other way."

A fitting way to end what was an exciting and jam packed tournament.

Forward Brian Owusu's jumper with 0.1 seconds left was the difference as Sheridan snuck by George Brown, 76-74, in a battle that decided the provincial title.

With the win, the Bruins secured a provincial title for the first time since 2014 and the 12th in program history. It also continues a 14-year long streak in which a team from the OCAA West Division has won the OCAA Championship.

The last time a team from the OCAA East Division won a provincial title was the Alqonquin Thunder back in 2003.

Despite the result of this game, both teams earned a berth at nationals from winning their semi-final games.

Periana (Sheridan Player of the Game) was named the OCAA Championships MVP as he led Sheridan with 28 points and hit a ridiculous seven three-pointers. Guard Ostap Choliy was the only other Bruin who scored in double figures with 13 points, and also had 13 rebounds.

The hero of the game, Owusu, had nine points and a team-high four steals while centre Paul Williams had a game-high 16 rebounds and a team-high four assists.

Owusu's heroics spoiled a magnificent performance from Huskies guard Kevon Mascoe (George Brown Player of the Game). With CCAA All-Canadian Ajahmo Clarke struggling with his shot the entire game, Mascoe stepped up, scoring a game-high 32 points. Guard Dejazmatch (DJ) James was the only other Husky in double figures with 15 points while forward Jordan James had a team-high 10 rebounds.

Clarke, meanwhile, finished with only eight points but had a game-high nine assists and a game-high five steals in the loss.

Both Owusu and Periana expected what was going to occur on the last possession, despite all of the chaos.

"I knew that (Owusu) can get off a good shot no matter who was guarding him," Periana said. "I got the rebound and passed it back."

"I wanted to get a good look and it was going to go," Owusu said, thinking about his game winner. "I've worked on my game a lot over the summer so I believe in everything I put up."

Interim coach Nick Davis, filling in for Bruins head coach Jim Flack, who was on medical leave, said this game against the Huskies proved that George Brown and the OCAA East is to be respected.

"They play hard," Davis said. "I have a lot of respect for Coach Jonathan Smith and what he's done with the program."

Owusu agreed, saying, "The East has really earned a lot of respect from us this season."

Davis also praised Mascoe's performance.

"He (Kevon) was amazing the whole game," Davis said in awe. "I felt bad for him because I thought he deserved a better fate." 

The championship game was so tight between both teams that the largest margin of lead was just six points, when Sheridan was up 57-51 after three quarters.

The deciding factor in this game, though, was on the glass, as the Bruins outrebounded the Huskies, 68-47, and outscored them in second chance points, 31-9. Sheridan also hit three more triples (12-9) than George Brown while the Huskies had 10 more assists (24-14).

The Bruins went up 7-3 early before the Huskies reeled off seven straight points to go up three. Both teams went back and forth and Sheridan was up 18-16 after one.

Mascoe heated up in the second quarter, as he scored 10 of his 13 points in the frame. The Huskies went up 26-23 before the Bruins went on a 7-0 run to go up 30-26. A dunk from Huskies forward Matthew Bukovec at the buzzer put George Brown up 37-35 at the half.

Both teams, once again, went back and forth, with Choliy and Mascoe exchanging baskets in a flurry to begin the third quarter. After the score was tied at 47, Sheridan went on a 10-4 run to close the quarter and went up 57-51. Choliy had eight points while Periana had seven in the quarter.

The final quarter saw the Huskies respond right back, going on a 7-0 run, capped off by a three from James. Consecutive three pointers from Choliy and Periana put the Bruins back up five (63-58). Both teams then exchanged baskets until Periana was fouled with 18.1 seconds left, with Sheridan up 73-71.

To everyone's shock, Periana, who shot 94.1 per cent from the line in the tournament, split a pair of free throws, giving the Huskies a chance to tie the game. George Brown had Clarke isolated at the top of the key before he dished to a wide open Mascoe, who sank the corner three to tie the game at 74, setting up one last shot for Sheridan.

Owusu missed a shot from the corner but Periana pulled down an incredible offensive rebound and passed in midair back to Owusu, who hit a ridiculously contested jumper to go up 76-74, sending the Sheridan crowd in a frenzy and leaving Huskies fans stunned.

George Brown had one last chance to score, but the inbound lob was denied, sealing the win for Sheridan.

Periana, Choliy, and Owusu were named Championship All Stars for the Bruins while Clarke and Mascoe were named Championship All Stars for the Huskies.

OCAA Bronze Medal Game - Humber 82, Niagara 79

Day 3 of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship continued. This time, a medal was at stake as it was a battle of OCAA West Division foes between the third seeded Humber Hawks and the second seeded Niagara Knights to determine who takes the bronze medal.

Humber held off a furious rally by Niagara to claim bronze with a 82-79 victory. Despite being ahead for the entire game and leading by as many as 15 midway through the fourth quarter (75-60), the Hawks had to hold onto the lead for dear life as the Knights stormed back, using a 19-7 run to nearly earn a medal, despite losing star guard Van Hutchinson Jr. early in the tournament due to injury.

It marks the fourth straight year that Humber has earned a medal at the provincial championship. Niagara, meanwhile, capped off a fantastic season by finishing fourth in this tournament.

Humber was led by forward Tyrone Dickson, who had 22 points and three blocks, both of which were game-highs. He also had a game-high 12 rebounds along with guard Gibson Eduful, who had a team-high five assists. Forward CJ Bennett was the other Hawk in double figures with 13 points and also had a team-high three steals.

Niagara had five players who scored in double figures, stepping up in Hutchinson Jr's absence. Guard Alex Elliott led the Knights with 15 points while forward Jordan Wilson had a double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, along with two blocks. Guard Lequan Hylton and forward Levi Makuna had 12 apiece while forward Payam Saboni had 11. Hylton also had three steals and a game-high six assists in the loss.

Although Humber was outscored 21-3 from behind the arc, free throws and rebounding played huge roles in the Hawks winning this game. Humber outrebounded Niagara, 66-55, and hit five more free throws (23-18). Both teams protected the ball well with the Knights only committing nine turnovers and the Hawks turning over the ball 12 times.

The Hawks were off to a fast start on the defensive end, forcing the Knights to shoot just 17.4 per cent (4-23) from the field in the first quarter. Behind Dickson's solid start with six points and three rebounds, Humber took a 10-point lead (20-10) after one quarter.

In the second quarter, Niagara started to get their offence flowing, scoring 21 points in total. Humber kept the lead steady at 11 for much of the quarter. However, Niagara went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 31-28. Humber then extended its lead to eight (39-31) at halftime, closing on an 8-3 run.

Saboni and Elliott scored seven points each in the quarter for Niagara. Dickson was the only player in double figures at the half with 10 points.

The third quarter saw Niagara slowly chip away at Humber's lead, cutting it to two (62-60) late, eventually trailing by just three points (63-60) heading into the quarter. It was an offensive showcase in the third as the Knights almost outscored their entire score at halftime with 29 points while Humber had 24. Humber was led in the quarter by Bennett and guard Trevon Mollison, both of whom had five points each. Elliott and Hylton led Niagara with six points each in the third quarter.

The Hawks then put the clamps on the Knights' offence in the final frame, reeling off 13 straight points (with one point from the third quarter) and eventually forced Niagara into a timeout with six minutes remaining.

Things got chippy with Hylton being called for a flagrant foul. Niagara then went on a 19-7 run and had a chance to tie the game with 9.9 seconds remaining in the game. Hylton had the ball and got a good look from deep but missed and Dickson grabbed the board, ending the game.

Dickson was named Player of the Game for the Hawks and was a Championship All Star while Wilson was named Player of the Game for the Knights.

Consolation Final - Redeemer 106, Fanshawe 93

Day 3 of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship was underway as the battle was on between the Redeemer Royals and the Fanshawe Falcons to determine the consolation champion.

It was an offensive showcase from both teams as the Royals came out on top with a 106-93 victory over the Falcons. Redeemer finished in fifth place while Fanshawe finished in sixth.

The story of the game was the Royals' hot shooting as they shot 51.4 per cent (38-74) from the field, 44 per cent (11-25) from three point range, and 90.5 per cent (19-21) from the free throw line. Redeemer was also unselfish, dishing out 31 assists on their 38 made field goals.

Fanshawe outrebounded Redeemer by nine (51-42) while also outscoring them, 40-19, from the charity stripe.

Redeemer came out scorching from the field to start off the game, going on a 19-5 run and forced Fanshawe into eight first-quarter turnovers. Guard Anthony Terry hit two early three pointers, forcing the Falcons to call an early timeout. Fanshawe made it respectable, trimming the double digit lead to nine (25-16).

OCAA Player of the Year Rayvon Higdon had nine points while forward Spencer Kerssies had two three point plays and finished with eight in the quarter.

In the second quarter, Fanshawe got its offence going, scoring 26 points. Falcons guards Moses Orozco-Rayo and Connor Therrien came alive in the quarter, scoring 10 and eight points, respectively. However, behind Higdon's 10 points in the quarter, the Royals held a slim lead, 45-42, at halftime.

Falcons starting centre Lex Van Iperen left the game due to injury and did not return. Higdon led all scorers at the half with 19 points while Orozco-Rayo had 10 to lead Fanshawe.

Both teams came out guns blazing as it felt like the NBA All-Star Game with the offensive display from the Falcons and the Royals. Fanshawe finally came all the way back, leading by four (61-57) with 6:05 left, forcing a Royals timeout. It was the only lead the Falcons would have, as Redeemer went on a 20-8 run to close out the quarter and lead 77-69 after three.

Fanshawe coach Tony Marcotullio received a technical foul in the quarter. Higdon was flawless from the field, scoring 12 points in the quarter, while guard Foster Brown and Kerssies had six points each in the quarter for Redeemer. Fanshawe forward Alfred Johnson had nine in the quarter while guard Chris Parker had seven.

In the fourth quarter, Redeemer continued its hot shooting by going on a 11-5 run. A technical foul from Royals coach Jamie Girolametto, however, led to three made free throws from Fanshawe to cut the lead to 11. However, the Royals turned on the jets, going on a 16-4 run to go up by 23 (104-81), essentially icing the game, as both teams emptied out their benches.

In his final college game, Higdon went out with a bang as he scored 31 points to lead all scorers and also had a triple-double, with 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He was one of four players who scored in double figures for Redeemer as Kerssies had 22 points while Brown had 18 and Terry had 12. Guard Nicholas Green led the team with three steals in the win.

Johnson led Fanshawe with 18 points while Parker, Oroczo-Rayo, and Therrien all had 16 each. Guard Deandre Austin had 11 points and a team-high seven assists while Parker (who had a team-high nine rebounds) and Orozco-Rayo had three steals apiece.

Higdon was named Player of the Game for the Royals while Oroczo-Rayo was named Player of the Game for the Falcons. 

Semi-Final #2 - George Brown 85, Niagara 74

Day 2 of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship wrapped up with the final semi-final game between the second seeded Niagara Knights from the OCAA West Division and the top-seeded George Brown Huskies from the OCAA East Division.

Both teams were fighting to determine who would head to nationals. The Huskies were not to be denied as they beat the Knights, 85-74, in front of a crowd that was mostly George Brown fans.

After being shut out last year, a team from the OCAA East will now be fighting for a provincial medal this year. With the win, George Brown not only advances to the gold medal game against the Sheridan Bruins but also clinches a berth in the CCAA championship. It also guarantees the Huskies a provincial medal, something they have not accomplished since winning silver at the 1990 OCAA championship, ironically which they lost to Sheridan. George Brown has also not won a provincial title since 1976.

Niagara will face the Humber Hawks for a shot at the bronze medal Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Although the Knights outscored the Huskies, 27-15, from three-point range, free throw shooting and turnovers proved to be crucial in this game. George Brown outscored Niagara, 16-7, from the charity stripe and took care of the ball, committing just nine turnovers, compared to Niagara's 18. The Huskies also moved the ball well with 19 assists on their 32 field goals made.

George Brown started off well, racing to an early 9-5 lead but Niagara fought back to tie the game up at 11. However, the Huskies pulled off seven straight points after that and took an 18-14 lead after one.

Niagara cut George Brown's lead to two early before the Huskies went on a 6-0 run, capped off by guard Ted Johnson's four-point play. After Niagara called a timeout with 7:25 remaining, the Knights went on a 12-2 run to take a 28-26 lead. This is where the offence from both sides took over. Both the Huskies and Knights scored on nine straight possessions offensively as there were 10 lead changes and three ties in just the second quarter alone. It was the Huskies who had the last opportunity to score for the quarter and they did just that, taking a 39-38 lead at halftime.

Niagara guard Lequan Hylton played out of his mind, scoring 14 of his 19 points in the second quarter alone while guard DJ Morrison had six points at the break, all in the second quarter. For George Brown, Johnson paced them in scoring with nine points at the half.

In the third quarter, Niagara went on an 8-2 run to take their largest lead of the game (five) at 46-41. However, the game began to turn in the Huskies' favour as they went on a 19-5 run, to take a 60-51 lead. Huskies guard Dejazmatch (DJ) James came alive in that run, scoring eight points in the quarter, including back-to-back three point plays. George Brown eventually took a 61-54 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Huskies pulled away early in the fourth quarter, going on a 13-5 run to go up 15 (74-59), which was the largest lead of the game. The feisty and never-say-die Knights tried to come back into the game but the double-digit deficit was too much to overcome.

Five players scored in double digits for George Brown, in what was a balanced attack. James led the Huskies with 19 points and nine rebounds and also had a game-high two steals. Guard Kevon Mascoe scored eight points in the final quarter and finished with 16 points and eight rebounds while the all-time OCAA leading scorer and CCAA All-Canadian Ajahmo Clarke stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds, and a game-high eight assists. Johnson had 13 points while forward Matthew Bukovec had 11 points to cap off the Huskies' double digit scorers.

Hylton led all scorers with 23 points and also led Niagara with six assists in the loss. Guard Femi Akindele was the only other Knight that scored in double figures with 13 points while forward Jordan Wilson had game-highs in rebounds (10) and blocks (two).

James was named Player of the Game for the Huskies while Hylton was named Player of the Game for the Knights. The gold medal game is tomorrow evening between Sheridan and George Brown at 6 p.m.

Semi-Final #1 - Sheridan 94, Humber 85 OT

Day 2 of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship continued. This time, a berth at nationals was at stake as the next chapter of a storied rivalry was going to be written between the third-ranked Humber Hawks and the top-seeded Sheridan Bruins.

Both teams are from the OCAA West so this was shaping up to be a game for the ages. And what a game it was! The fans from both sides were in attendance and boy, were they loud!

Behind a dominating overtime performance on the defensive end, it was the Bruins who continued their unbeaten season with a 94-85 victory over the Hawks and ensured that there will be a new OCAA champion. With that win, Sheridan not only advances to the gold medal match but also clinches a berth in the CCAA championship.

Humber, who won a provincial title last year, will have to fight for a bronze medal against the loser of Niagara versus George Brown.

The game featured 16 lead changes and 15 ties as both teams fought tooth and nail until the very end. However, the biggest difference maker was from the free throw line as Sheridan hit 12 more free throws (26-36) than Humber (14-25). The Bruins also limited the Hawks to only one field goal made and three points in total in the extra frame. Along with that, Sheridan outscored Humber, 21-8, in second chance points.

Humber came out roaring to start off the game, going on an early 10-0 run to go up 14-9, on the strength of three consecutive triples. Forward Baljyot Judge was hot from long range, hitting three of his four triples in the quarter, and finishing with nine after one. Sheridan would fight its way back, riding guard Ostap Choliy's eight points in the first frame, to take a 22-21 lead at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Humber took back the lead and kept it for the rest of the frame. The Hawks pulled off six straight points midway through the second quarter to lead 37-30 and forced a Bruins timeout with 2:28 left until halftime. Sheridan then closed out the half on a 7-2 run and were down by two (39-37). Forward CJ Bennett was the only Hawk in double figures while Choliy was the only Bruin in double figures. Both of them had 10 points each.

The third quarter saw the Bruins take the lead for the first time since the end of the first quarter. They went up 51-47 and forced a Humber timeout with 5:12 left in the quarter. The Hawks came right back at the Bruins, taking a late lead but a Sheridan basket had the Bruins up 63-62, heading into the final frame. Sheridan guard Nick Campbell led the team with seven points in the quarter while Humber guard Trevor Mollison began to heat up in the third, scoring eight points.

It seemed like Sheridan was on the verge of taking control in this game in the fourth quarter as they extended their lead to six (79-73) with three minutes to go. However, Bennett came alive as he completed consecutive three point plays to tie the game up at 79.

After forward Brian Owusu gave Sheridan a two-point lead with a basket, Hawks forward Tyrone Dickson and Bruins guard Dylan Periana each split a pair of free throws before Mollison hit a short jumper to tie the game up at 82. Humber had a chance to pull off the upset at the buzzer but Mollison's three point attempt went in and out, sending the game into overtime.

In the extra frame, the Bruins scored the first five points and were up 88-85 with less than a minute to go. However, Humber guard Gibson Eduful missed a game-tying three and Sheridan iced the game at the line with six straight made free throws, four from Owusu and a pair from Periana.

It was a balanced attack for the Bruins as five players scored in double figures. Periana led Sheridan with 17 points and six assists while Owusu and centre Paul Williams each had 16. Owusu had a team-high four steals while Williams had 12 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Choliy had 15 points and a game-high four blocks while Campbell had 14.

For Humber, it was a balanced attack as well as five players also scored in double figures. Bennett and Dickson had 17 points each while Mollison had 16 points. Judge and forward Ancil Martin had 12 apiece to cap off Humber's leading scorers. Dickson had a game-high 15 rebounds while Eduful had a game-high nine assists and seven steals.

Choliy was named Player of the Game for the Bruins while Dickson was named Player of the Game for the Hawks.

Consolation Semi-Final #2 - Fanshawe 93, Centennial 85

Day 2 of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship continued as the second consolation match featured the Fanshawe Falcons from the West Division and the Centennial Colts from the East Division.

If a few breaks bounced their way, this could be a battle to decide a berth in nationals for both Centennial and Fanshawe. Sadly, that is not the case. For Fanshawe, after beating the Durham Lords, 68-65, on a last second three-pointer by guard Chris Parker in their crossover match, they were in another close battle against the top-seeded George Brown Huskies from the OCAA East. Unfortunately, the Falcons were on the wrong side of a nailbiter as they fell, 76-74, against the Huskies, on two free throws with 3.1 seconds left in the game.

Centennial, due to being the hosts, automatically earned a berth in the OCAA championship but also earned their way into the tournament by going 15-5 this season and finishing third in the OCAA East, a nine game improvement from last season. The Colts played the second seeded Niagara Knights from the OCAA West. In a game that was filled with tension and played in a raucous crowd, missed opportunities in regulation and overtime proved costly for Centennial as they lost a heartbreaker, 70-66, to the Knights in overtime.

Once again, the crowd cheered on the host Colts this afternoon. Fanshawe, however, had other ideas as they pulled away from Centennial, 92-85, to earn a berth in the consolation final.

Throughout the entire game, the Falcons were on fire as they shot 53.7 per cent and 66.7 per cent from behind the arc. A back and forth game, for three quarters, was decided in the fourth quarter as Fanshawe outscored Centennial, 34-26.

The Colts and Falcons went back and forth in the first quarter as Fanshawe had an early three point lead (10-7) before back-to-back threes from second year guard Alex (AC) Hagoriles put Centennial back up three (13-10). A buzzer beating three pointer from second year forward Paul (LC) Walwyn put the Colts up five (22-17) heading into the second quarter.

The second quarter was a struggle offensively for Centennial as they shot 1-7 from behind the arc after going 4-9 in the first. Meanwhile, the Falcons got their offence going as they shot 66.7 per cent from the field in the quarter, using a 7-0 run. The Falcons were up seven (38-31) before the Colts cut the lead to three (42-39) at intermission.

Three players scored in double figures for Fanshawe as Parker, forward Alfred Johnson, and centre Lex Van Iperen each had 10 points at the half. Walwyn was the only Colt in double figures at the break with 10 points while guard Josh McFarlene had all eight of his points in the second quarter.

Determined to be better on the defensive end to start the second half, the Colts scored the first eight points and eventually went on a 14-3 run to go up by eight (53-45), which was the largest lead for Centennial. However, a three-point play on a dunk by Fanshawe's Johnson turned the quarter in the Falcons' favour as they went on a 10-0 run near the end of the quarter. Eventually, the score was tied at 59 heading into the fourth quarter. Parker had 10 points in the third for the Falcons. Curic, meanwhile, came alive with 11 in the quarter after only scoring two points in the first half.

The final frame was all Fanshawe as they went on a 14-5 run to start the quarter. After Centennial scored five straight points, the Falcons went on a 9-0 run to take the biggest lead of the game at 13 (82-69). Despite the Colts cutting it to six (91-85) with 15.9 seconds left, the double digit deficit was too much to overcome as Fanshawe sealed the win.

The fourth quarter turned into the Chris Parker show as it seemed like the Falcons guard could not miss, scoring 21 points in the quarter alone. Parker hit seven of his nine shots attempted in the quarter, including hitting all four of his three point attempts. Altogether, Parker had a career-high 41 points, with 31 of them coming in the second half. He also had help, as Johnson had 20 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Iperen and guard Deandre Austin had 10 apiece. Parker and Austin also led Fanshawe with five assists each.

In what is their final game as Colts, co-captains Walwyn, Curic, and Hagoriles went out with a bang. Walwyn led Centennial with 26 points, with 12 coming in the fourth quarter, while Curic had 20 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. Hagoriles had eight points and two steals while McFarlene nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds, and 14 assists.

Parker was named the Player of the Game for the Falcons while Curic was named Player of the Game for the Colts.

The consolation final is Saturday at 1 p.m. between the Redeemer Royals and the Fanshawe Falcons.

Consolation Semi-Final #1 - Redeemer 66, Seneca 62

Day 2 of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship was underway as the first consolation match was a battle between the fourth seeded Redeemer Royals from the West Division and the second seeded Seneca Sting from the East Division.

Redeemer, led by OCAA Player of the Year Rayvon Higdon, pulled off an upset in their crossover match, beating the Alqonquin Thunder, 87-75. The Royals then were faced with a seemingly impossible task in Thursday afternoon's quarter-final, beating the top-ranked Sheridan Bruins not only in the OCAA, but also in the CCAA. Redeemer fought tooth and nail against Sheridan but ultimately fell short, losing 100-85.

Seneca, led by OCAA Rookie of the Year Khalil Miller, finished second in the OCAA East with a record of 17-3, but were overmatched in Thursday's quarter-final against the third-ranked Humber Hawks from the OCAA West. Although the Sting started off hot, hitting nine of 11 shots in the first quarter, Seneca wilted under Humber's defensive pressure and were undone by turnovers as they fell 82-61.

In a trend from last night, Friday's game came down to the final minute. Redeemer guard Foster Brown's lay-up was the difference in the game as the Royals punched a berth in the consolation final with a 66-62 win over the Sting.

Both teams shot under 30 per cent for the game as this was a defensive battle. However, despite Seneca outrebounding Redeemer, 60-44, three point shooting and free throws were the differences in the game as the Royals hit four more threes (9-5) and free throws (17-13) than the Sting.

It was clear that the afternoon start affected both teams as offence was hard to come by. The Royals shot just 17.6 per cent (3-17) from the field and 10 per cent (1-10) from behind the arc.  The Sting didn't fare much better, shooting 25 per cent (5-20) in the quarter but outrebounded Redeemer 15-11 to take a four point lead into the second quarter.

The second quarter saw Seneca push their lead up to five (18-13) before Redeemer slowly chipped away and took a 25-23 lead on a three pointer from guard Nicholas Green. Seneca, however, took a one-point lead (27-26) at the break. The Royals committed 10 turnovers at the half and were outrebounded 26-21 by the Sting. Green was the only player in double figures for Redeemer with 12 points on four three pointers made. Guard Haroun Mohamed was Seneca's leading scorer at the half with seven points while Miller had 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Seneca was ready to play in the third quarter, scoring the first six points less than two minutes in. A timeout by Redeemer sparked the Royals, who then went on a 15-4 run to go up 41-37. The Sting pulled off seven straight points, capped off by a three pointer from guard Dimitri Lim. The score was 44-42 for Seneca heading into the final quarter. Higdon and Miller got it going for Redeemer and Seneca, respectively after slow starts to the game. Higdon scored eight points in the quarter for Redeemer while Miller had six points and five rebounds in the quarter for Seneca.

In the fourth quarter, Seneca was up four before Redeemer pulled off six straight points to take a 52-50 lead. However, Mohamed hit a three and a lay-up to put the Sting back up 55-52. The game went back and forth but turned in favour of the Royals as Mohamed fouled out of the game. Higdon then hit two free throws and Brown then hit a tough lay-up to put Redeemer up by two with a minute left in the game (62-60). Higdon and Miller then hit two free throws each afterwards to make the score, 64-62, before Green sank both of his free throws to ice the game.

Higdon, despite struggling with his shot throughout the game, scored 21 of his 22 points in the second half to lead all scorers. He also had seven rebounds and seven assists. Green scored 17 points on five threes while Brown had nine points and a team-high eight rebounds to cap off the Royals' high scorers.

Four players scored in double figures for the Sting. Miller, despite shooting poorly, was a monster on the glass with 25 rebounds, nine of which were on the offensive end. He finished with 16 points for a double double and also had four blocks to lead Seneca. Forward Daniel Wright and Mohamed had 12 points apiece while forward Hugh Taylor had 11. Lim led the Sting with eight assists in the loss.

Green was named the Player of the Game for the Royals while Miller was named Player of the Game for the Sting.

Quarter-Final #4 - George Brown 76, Fanshawe 74

The fourth and final quarter-final game of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship was a battle between the fourth-seeded Fanshawe Falcons from the West Division and the top-seeded George Brown Huskies from the East Division.

For the Falcons, they ended 9-7 on the season and won a nailbiting crossover match against the Durham Lords, 68-65, on a last second three pointer by guard Chris Parker, who averages 13.6 points per game. The leading scorer for Fanshawe is forward Alfred Johnson, who averages 14.1 points per game.

It has been an excellent season for the Huskies as they went 19-1 and finished first in the OCAA East. George Brown is led by Ajahmo Clarke. The fifth-year guard led the OCAA East in scoring with 23.0 points per game. Clarke is the all-time OCAA leader in points establishing the new record of 1,922 and is also an East Division First-Team All-Star.

You would think that no game would have topped the overtime thriller between the Centennial Colts and the Niagara Knights. Then this game happened. Two clutch free throws from Huskies guard Kevon Mascoe with 3.1 seconds left in the game decided a nailbiting 76-74 victory over the Falcons. Despite the Falcons shooting 47.5 per cent from the field and Huskies shooting 33.8 per cent, turnovers were the key as Fanshawe committed 24 turnovers compared to George Brown's 16. The Huskies also hit two more three pointers (8-6) than the Falcons as well.

George Brown went off to a great start as they led 15-4 early. However, Fanshawe reeled off nine straight points and eventually tied the score at 25. The Huskies scored three points after to lead 28-25 after one.

The second quarter was sloppy and gritty as the Huskies shot 5-of-23 from the field while the Falcons committed six turnovers. George Brown outscored Fanshawe 15-13 in the frame as they headed into halftime up 43-38.

The Huskies were up 45-39 early in the third quarter when the Falcons pulled off a 16-2 run to go up eight (55-47) before George Brown scored the next eight points to tie the game. Eventually, the score was tied at 61 heading into the final quarter.

The final frame was like the previous game between the Colts and the Knights; it was a back and forth affair. A basket by the Huskies was matched by a basket from the Falcons as the crowd was growing excited by the minute. After forcing a shot clock violation, George Brown's Mascoe drew the foul and subsequently sank both free throws. Fanshawe had a shot to tie or win the game but could not get a shot off as Parker turned the ball over on an inbound to seal the win for the Huskies.

Despite the late turnover, Parker was absolutely sensational for the Falcons as he scored a game-high 30 points on five three pointers and led Fanshawe with eight rebounds and five assists. Johnson had 15 points and a game-high three blocks while centre Lex Van Iperen had 11 points to cap off Fanshawe's double digit scorers.

Three players also scored in double figures for the Huskies. Clarke led the team with 19 points and a team-high four assists while Mascoe had 13 points. Guard Dejazmatch (DJ) James chipped in with 10 points while forward Jordan James had a game-high 10 rebounds.

Clarke was named the Player of the Game for the Huskies while Parker was named Player of the Game for the Falcons.

Quarter-Final #3 - Niagara 70, Centennial 66 OT

The third quarter-final game of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship was a battle between the third-seeded Centennial Colts from the East Division and the second-seeded Niagara Knights from the West Division.

What a remarkable turnaround it has been for the Colts! After finishing last in the OCAA East (6-14) in the previous season, Centennial has improved its record by an incredible nine games to finish 15-5 this season. Although they earned an automatic berth in this year's OCAA championship due to playing host, the Colts earned their way into the big dance, finishing third in the OCAA East.

Second year forward Marko Curic has enjoyed a great season, leading the Colts in scoring (17.3 points per game), rebounding (9.3 rebound per game) and blocked shots (2.6 blocks per game). Curic is also a First-Team All Star in the East Division.

Second year guard Josh McFarlene is also enjoying a stellar season as he was named a Second-Team All Star in the East Division and leads Centennial with 6.7 assists per game and 3.2 steals per game.

For Niagara, it has enjoyed an incredible season as well, going 13-3 and finishing second in the OCAA West. Guard Van Hutchinson Jr. leads the team in scoring with 14.8 points per game and is a First-Team All-Star while guard Lequan Hylton is a Second-Team All-Star and averaged 14.6 points per game.

This game was a thriller from start to finish. In a game that had neither team leading by double digits, it was the Knights who prevailed, 70-66, over the Colts. It was incredibly close in all stats between Centennial and Niagara. The biggest difference maker? Rebounding, as the Knights outrebounded the Colts, 61-46.

Niagara limited Centennial to 29.3 per cent from the field and forced them into 20 turnovers.  As for the Colts, they played their hearts out in the loss. They forced the Knights into 25 turnovers and had five more assists (16-11).

The hosts were off to a fast start in front of a raucous crowd as they were up 8-2 four minutes into the game. Niagara fought their way back, on a late 6-0 run to go up 17-15 after the first quarter.

The second quarter had Niagara going up four early. Now it was the Colts' turn to fight back, as they went up 30-26 after a three-pointer from veteran guard Alex (AC) Hagoriles. Niagara, however, pulled off five straight points, capped off by a late three from guard Lequan Hylton, to go into halftime up one (31-30).

After the Colts went up three early in the third quarter, Niagara went on a 6-0 run to lead 41-38. Hagoriles then hit another three pointer but the Knights then reeled off seven straight points after that to end the quarter, up 48-41.

Niagara took the biggest lead of the game (eight) early. In a sign of things to come, the Colts scored six straight points, capped off by a three-point play from forward Malique Hyde. After that sequence, it was a nailbiting, back-and-forth affair, capped off by a game tying lay-up from Curic. Missed opportunities from both teams led to this game being decided in overtime.

In the extra frame, both teams were, once again, going back and forth. Centennial went up one after a crazy three pointer from Curic. However, Niagara finally pulled away with five straight points, with a dagger three from Knights guard DJ Morrison that decided the game and broke the hearts of Colts fans.

Three players scored in double figures for Niagara, with Hutchinson Jr. leading with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Hylton and forward Jordan Wilson had 10 points each while Morrison led the team with four steals.

Four players scored in double figures for the Colts, with Curic leading all scorers with 20 points, while also having a game-high 15 rebounds, six blocks, and five steals. Hagoriles had 17 points on five three pointers while Hyde had 11 points. Second year forward Paul (LC) Walwyn capped off the Colts scoring with 10 points while McFarlene led Centennial with nine assists.

Hutchinson Jr. was named the Player of the Game for the Knights while Hagoriles was named Player of the Game for the Colts.

Quarter-Final #2 - Humber 82, Seneca 61

The second quarter-final game of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship was a battle between the third-seeded Humber Hawks from the West Division and the second-seeded Seneca Sting from the East Division.

The Hawks are enjoying a great season so far, going 12-4 in the OCAA West and won their crossover match at home against the St. Lawrence (Kingston) Vikings, 100-75. Humber is led by fifth-year forward Tyrone Dickson (13.4 points per game), who is a First-Team All-Star and the Defensive Player of the Year for the OCAA's West Division. Fifth-year forward Ancil Martin leads Humber in scoring with 14.3 points per game and is a Second-Team All Star for the West Division.

For the Sting, they improved their record from last year (9-11) by an incredible eight games, going 17-3 in the OCAA East. Seneca won their crossover matchup at home against the St. Clair Saints, 80-76. It has been an incredible rookie season for forward Khalil Miller as he leads the Sting in scoring (15.2 points per game), rebounding (11.0 rebound per game) and blocked shots (3.3 blocks per game). Miller was the OCAA Rookie of the Year, OCAA East Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Star for the East Division, and part of the All-Rookie Team.

Third year guard Yusuf Ali is second in scoring for Seneca with 15.1 points per game and is a First-Team All-Star in the East Division as well.

However, it was Humber who had the final say in this game as they beat Seneca, 82-61. The Hawks relied on a strong defensive effort after the first quarter to quiet the offensive prowess of the Sting.

Turnovers were the story in this game as Humber took care of the ball with only nine turnovers. The same could not be said for Seneca as they coughed up the ball 19 times. Ball movement was also a key as the Hawks had twice as many assists (26-13) as the Sting and rebounding was a factor as well as Humber outrebounded Seneca 43-33. Humber also had 16 steals and hit seven more threes than Seneca (10-3).

The game could not have started any better for the Sting, who shot 81.8 per cent from the field (9-11) and were 2-of-3 from behind the arc. Miller had nine points in the opening frame.  However, Humber stayed in the game by forcing Seneca into seven turnovers in the quarter and were only down four (21-17).

The second quarter was a dominating one for the Hawks. Humber outscored the Sting 22-7 and forced Seneca into eight turnovers in the quarter alone and shot 50 per cent from the field. Dickson made his presence known on both ends, with 12 points, seven rebounds and two steals while Martin had 11 points at the half.

Seneca struggled immensely from the field, shooting only 23.1 per cent (3-13). Miller had 11 points, six rebounds and two steals at the half while Ali had nine points and five assists.  However, Ali (undisclosed) left the game after halftime and did not return.

Humber continued its dominance of Seneca from the second quarter, outscoring Seneca, 22-15, in the third quarter, on the strength of a 9-0 run. The Hawks outscored the Sting, 9-0, from three point land and outrebounded them, 14-10, in the third quarter. Forward Baljyot Judge hit two threes and guard Trevor Mollison had six points in the quarter alone. Guard Haroun Mohamed and Miller had five points each in the quarter for the Sting. Miller had four blocks in the third quarter alone.

At the end of the third, the Hawks were on cruise control, leading 61-43. In the fourth quarter, the game was all but finished as both sides played almost even, with Humber outscoring Seneca, 21-18, in the final frame.

Five players scored in double figures for Humber. Dickson led the Hawks with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Martin and Mollison had 15 apiece. Guard Gibson Eduful had 12 points while Judge had 10 to round out the scoring. Forward CJ Bennett had a game-high four steals in the victory for the Hawks.

Miller was strong in defeat for Seneca with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocked shots, all of which were a game-high. Mohamed was the only other Sting in double figures with 12 points and six assists.

Dickson was named the Player of the Game for the Hawks while Miller was named Player of the Game for the Sting.

Quarter-Final #1 - Sheridan 100, Redeemer 85

The first quarter-final game of the 2017 belairdirect OCAA Men's Basketball Championship was a battle between West Division foes as the fourth-seeded Redeemer Royals played the top-seeded Sheridan Bruins.

It has been a historic season for Redeemer so far, who pulled off an upset on the road in Ottawa, beating the Alqonquin Thunder, 87-75, in its playoff crossover match. The win secured the program's first-ever OCAA championship berth. The Royals are led by fourth-year guard and OCAA Men's Basketball Player of the Year Rayvon Higdon, who led the province in scoring with 26.3 points per game. Higdon is also a CCAA All-Canadian and a First-Team All Star.

For Sheridan, they are currently ranked first not only in the OCAA, but also in the CCAA as well. The Bruins rolled through the competition in the OCAA West Division as they were unbeaten, winning all 16 games. Forwards Ostap Choliy (20.6 points per game) and Brian Owusu (16.4 points per game) are First-Team All-Stars while guard Dylan Periana (14.3 points per game) is a Second-Team All Star.

In a game that was closer than the final score would indicate, the Bruins pulled out a 100-85 win over the Royals. The biggest differences in the game were the free throw line and rebounding as Sheridan went 19-29 from the charity stripe and had 43 rebounds. Redeemer only had nine free throw attempts and made six while they had 35 rebounds. Turnovers played a role, too, as Redeemer had 24 compared to Sheridan's 13.

However, the Royals played their hearts out, shooting 13-of-31 from behind the arc and moved the ball extremely well, piling up 28 assists, compared to the Bruins' 18.  Both teams were trying to get used to the early 1 p.m. start in the first quarter as generating offence was a struggle with a lot of missed shots and turnovers. However, Sheridan, because of its full court defence, was up 20-14 after one quarter.

The second quarter was an offensive showcase as both teams scored 28 points each. There were chippy moments as well, with a flagrant foul called on Redeemer's Foster Brown. The Royals were on fire from three-point range and led 38-35 with 4:12 remaining in the second. However, Sheridan closed out the quarter on a 13-4 run.

Despite hitting seven threes, Redeemer coughed up the ball 11 times. Higdon was picking apart the Bruins defence and was on triple double alert with 15 points, eight assists, and five rebounds at the half. Periana led Sheridan with 13 points and five assists while Choliy was the other Bruin in double figures with 10 points.

Foul trouble was a major issue for the Royals as Higdon picked up his fourth foul midway and the Bruins took their biggest lead of the game at the time (11). Sheridan outrebounded Redeemer 13-7 and had seven more shot attempts in the quarter. With Higdon on the bench, though, the Royals scored five straight points to end the quarter as Sheridan was up 74-68 heading into the final stanza.

The final quarter started off chippy as Sheridan scored the first five points of the quarter and Jemol Edwards from the Bruins was called for a flagrant foul. The flagrant seemed to spark energy into the Royals as they went on 11-4 run (83-79) right after and were down six (91-85) with three minutes left.

Sheridan, however, was not to be denied of the victory as they scored the final nine points of the game to pull away from Redeemer. Five players scored in double figures for the Bruins. Periana was incredible for Sheridan, scoring 27 points and dishing out seven dimes in the victory. Owusu had 22 points while Choliy and centre Paul Williams had 14 points each. Williams also had 14 rebounds while guard Nick Campbell rounded out the double digit scoring with 11 points.

In his final year and with Friday's game being his last as a Royal, Higdon was amazing, almost having a triple-double with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Forward Spencer Kerssies had 18 points and nine rebounds while guard Nicholas Green had 12 points, hitting four threes.

Periana was named the Player of the Game for the Bruins while Higdon was named Player of the Game for the Royals.

Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/championships/mbkl/2016-17/index

Championship Webcast: www.youtube.com/channel/UCj3xnVFGSlDcN-DNAtt6y7Q

Championship Schedule
Thursday, March 2
Quarter-Finals
Game 1: Sheridan 100, Redeemer 85
Game 2: Humber 82, Seneca 61
Game 3: Niagara 70, Centennial 66 OT
Game 4: George Brown 76, Fanshawe 74

Friday, March 3
Consolation Round
Game 5: Redeemer 66, Seneca 62
Game 6: Fanshawe 93, Centennial 85
Semi-Finals
Game 7: Sheridan 94, Humber 85 OT
Game 8: George Brown 85, Niagara 74

Saturday, March 4
Consolation Final
Game 9: Redeemer 106, Fanshawe 93
Bronze Medal Match
Game 10: Humber 82, Niagara 79
Gold Medal Match
Game 11: Sheridan 76, George Brown 74

Source: Centennial College

- OCAA -

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