Niagara nets berth in finals
The Niagara Knights jumped out to an 18-9 lead and never looked back on their way to a 61-52 victory over Loyalist and a berth in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) women’s basketball championships. Rookie guard Hannah Baker, a Fonthill native, paced Niagara in the early going in the cross-over playoff qualifier Sunday afternoon in Welland with eight points. The Knights led their visitors from Belleville by 13 points at the half despite having a so-so day on offence. “It was a day where we didn’t score like we had been,” head coach Mike Beccaria said. “But, as always, defence and rebounding won the day. “We rebounded very well in the second half and met our offensive goals in three of the four quarters.” St. Catharines native and Governor Simcoe graduate Mary Ingribelli led Niagara in scoring with a game-high 22 points and was her team’s top rebounder with eight. The fourth-year guard also had 13 rebounds and four steals. Brooke Cesar and Baker added 10 points apiece as the Knights won their fifth consecutive game. The Knights enjoyed homecourt advantage after finishing the regular season fourth in the West Division with a 14-6 record. Loyalist completed league play fifth in the east going 8-9 during the regular season. The 2017-18 OCAA women’s basketball championships tip off
with quarter-final action Friday at Humber College in Toronto. Niagara is back in action in a 6 p.m. tipoff against the George Brown Huskies. George Brown finished the regular season first in the East Division with a 15-2 record.
Field set for provincials
Many familiar faces will be on the court when the Ontario men’s basketball championship get underway Thursday at Niagara College. All but two teams in the field of eight will be from the West Division, including the host Niagara Knights who finished the regular season fourth in the division with a 13-7 record. Also representing the west at the three-day tournament will be Redeemer, first, 19-1; Sheridan, second, 16-4; Humber, third, 15-5; and Lambton, fifth, 13-7; and Fanshawe, sixth, 11-9. Seneca, first, 19-1; George Brown, second, 18-2; are the East Division teams vying to become the first team from their division to win a provincial title since Algonguin won it all in 2003. Sheridan, George Brown and Humber won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, at last year’s championships. The host Niagara Knights enter the tournament after a one week bye. The Knights, winners of their final two games in league play, will face the Seneca Sting in the opening round of the tournament 6 p.m. Thursday. Tickets for the event are $5 Thursday and Friday, and $10 on Championship Saturday. Tournament passes can be purchased for $15. Admission is free to Niagara College students and anyone 18 and younger.