SCARBOROUGH, Ont. - The Durham College men's basketball team is heading into the postseason on a hot-streak after they picked up their eighth straight win with an 81-64 victory over the Centennial Colts.
The win-streak will be all for naught if they lose Sunday's home playoff game with a berth in the OCAA championship on the line. The Lords (15-5) clinched third place in the OCAA East Division, meaning they will match up against Fanshawe (11-8) or Lambton (12-7) in the qualifier depending on Wednesday's results as the regular season wraps up. Tip off on Sunday is at 5:30 p.m. in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre.
The last time Durham qualified for the championship was in 2015 when they won an OCAA bronze medal on their home court. Last year, the Lords lost to Fanshawe on a buzzer beater in the qualifying game in London.
Durham took control of the game in the first quarter against Centennial going on a 19-0 run to lead 27-8 after 10 minutes. The tables would turn in the second quarter as Centennial went on a 19-0 run of their own to close the gap to 34-30.
Centennial would come all of the way back and take the lead in the third quarter at 38-37, but Durham finished strong outscoring the Colts 17-6 to lead by ten heading into the final quarter. In the fourth quarter, Centennial could not close the gap as the Lords earned a 17-point victory and season sweep.
Athlete of the week Funsho Dimeji (Malton, Ont.) and Julian Hinckson Jr. (Ajax, Ont.) each had double-doubles in the win. Dimeji had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Hinckson Jr. had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Trea Lawson (Whitby, Ont.) was one rebound shy of a double-double with 12 points and nine boards.
Durham's leading scorer Brandon Halliburton (Brampton, Ont.) put up 19 points and six rebounds in the win, as he entered the game fourth in OCAA scoring averaging 23.3 points per game.
Leading the way for the Colts was Kendell Wilson who put up 25 points.
Durham's 15-5 conference record is their best since 2015 when the team finished 17-3.
Source: Durham College