Second half push lifts No. 5 Women's Basketball over St. Clair
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Clair (1-3, 1-3) | 18 | 22 | 15 | 15 | 70 |
|
Humber (5-0, 5-0) | 15 | 21 | 22 | 16 | 74 |
By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE – No. 5 Humber women's basketball (5-0, 1st West) defeated the St. Clair Saints (1-3, 7th West) 74-70 in what would be their tightest matchup of the season so far. After a hot start for the Saints in the first half, the Hawks found their game in the second half and never looked back. Kia Watt led Humber with 22 points, while Marley Bonnick posted a double-double. As a team, the Hawks shot 28-of-68 (41.2 per cent) from the floor and drained three of their 18 attempts from deep. The Hawks capitalized on second-chance points with 22, which helped them preserve their perfect record to start the season.
Game Recap
With the North Campus Gym rocking before tip-off, the Humber Hawks were looking to continue their impressive season in front of their home fans against the struggling St. Clair Saints. Humber has yet to lose a game in their 2022-23 campaign, while the Saints only won a single game during their three-game homestand to begin their season.
The Saints got out to a quick lead as a 6-0 run gave them the edge at the beginning of the first quarter. St. Clair was able to preserve their lead; however, their offensive dominance was cut short by tight defence from Humber. After the Hawks' initial nerves were alleviated, they began to chip into the Saints' advantage and cut it down to a one-possession lead. Kia Watt and Marley Bonnick combined for eight points in the quarter and helped the Hawks trim St. Clair's lead to a mere three points to end the first.
As the second quarter got underway, the Hawks struggled to convert fast-break opportunities and free throws. Humber was unable to sink any buckets from three-point land and was shooting under 30 per cent from the floor. The Hawks' poor shooting, along with lousy turnovers, helped the Saints extend their lead to as much as 11 points. St. Clair's Alyssa Lucier was Humber's worst enemy, as her 16 points totalled more than half of all the Saints' points at the halfway mark of the quarter. St. Clair cooled off as halftime loomed, and the Hawks took advantage as they went on a dominating 7-0 run. With the Saints' lead cut down to four, the buzzer sounded to signify halftime.
Brampton native Marley Bonnick led the way for the Hawks as she drained 13 points in the half; however, the Hawks struggled to shoot the rock as a team. The fifth-ranked team in the nation went 15-of-38 (39.5 per cent) from the floor and failed to drain a three-pointer in the half. Humber was fortunate it wasn't down by a greater margin, as they had four more turnovers than their opponents and only shot 42.6 per cent from the free-throw line.
St. Clair was relentless in the first half and utterly unfazed by the sea of gold and navy-blue cheering on the Hawks. The Saints proved to the Hawks that they weren't going to be overlooked, and Humber knew they had a lot of work to do if they wanted to come back and win their fifth game of the young season.
Humber's Nicole Chateau knocked down the team's first three of the game to begin the second half and on the next possession, the Hawks jumped out to their first lead of the game, albeit a slim one-point margin. The teams traded points and the lead as the squads settled into third-quarter action, but it was sharp three-point shooting from the Hawks that gave them a two-possession lead at the halfway point of the quarter. St. Clair began to defend tenaciously as the Hawks' offensive pressure was stripping away the Saints' momentum from the first half, yet Humber responded with tight defence of their own. The stunned Saints knew they were still in the game; however, they needed something quick. St. Clair's leading scorer, Alyssa Lucier, put her team on her back, and she had 31 points through three quarters. She made a late push for her squad as they cut Humber's lead to three points with one quarter remaining.
The Saints struck first in the final quarter of action and moved to within one point of the Hawks, yet Humber responded with a bucket of their own. The teams exchanged points in the deciding fourth quarter, and Humber maintained their lead with the support of their rowdy fans. With the Saints still trailing, they began ramping up the offensive pressure, but strong defence from the Hawks kept their lead alive. Marley Bonnick continued her impressive night in the fourth quarter as an electric and-one as part of a 6-1 run that hurdled Humber ahead to a two-possession lead. Although the Saints cut Humber's lead down to two, it was too little too late, and the Hawks sealed a 74-70 victory to maintain their perfect record.
Humber Highlights
- Marley Bonnick's double-double is her second of the season, while her 20 points set a new career high.
- Kia Watt was on the court for 34 minutes of action, marking a season-high for the third-year veteran.
- Head coach Ajay Sharma sits two wins away from 200 career victories.
What's Next?
The Hawks will be back on home court Sunday for a battle with the only other undefeated team from the OCAA western conference – the No. 8 Lambton Lions. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.
