Hoops in the spotlight
Alyssa McCabe named top female athlete as Knights take B title at Ontario championships
Alyssa McCabe put the “point” in point guard at the women’s college basketball championships in Toronto.
The Niagara Falls native and A.N. Myer Secondary School graduate reached double digits in every game as the Knights went 2-1 capturing the consolation championship at the three-day, eight-team tournament hosted by Seneca College.
McCabe, Niagara’s top female athlete for the week ending Sunday, scored a career-high 27 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had five steals in a 70-67 heartbreaking loss to the host team in the qualifying round at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championships.
She followed up the performance with games of 25 points, eight rebounds, and five steals in the Knights second game, and 15 points and six assists in the consolation final.
“Alyssa was our best player at the OCAAs,” said Mike Beccaria, head coach of the Niagara College women’s basketball team. “She scored, defended, handed out assists, and led the team to the consolation victory.”
Top male athlete for the past week at the region’s community college also was honoured for his contributions on the hardwood.
Lequan Hylton was the Knights’ best player at the 2017 OCAA men’s basketball championships at Centennial College in Toronto. Hylton’s best performance came in a loss to the George Brown Huskies in the semifinal round. The second-team provincial all-star paced Niagara on offence finishing with a game-high 23 points and six assists.
Niagara men finish fourth in Ontario
The Knights wrapped up 2016-17 in men’s college basketball by finishing fourth at the Ontario championships.
Niagara tipped off provincials a 70-66 overtime victory over the host Centennial Colts, but the win was a costly one as they lost Van Hutchinson Jr. to injury.
Without the first-team Ontario all-star in the lineup, the Knights dropped a 85-74 decision to the George Brown Huskies that bounced them into the bronze medal game.
They lost the third-place final 8279 to the Humber Hawks.
Joining Hutchinson as Niagara’s players of the game at the OCAA championships were Lequan Hylton, versus George Brown; and Jordan Wilson, versus Humber.
Finish to women’s season unchanged
For the second consecutive season the Niagara Knights women’s basketball team captured the OCAA consolation championship.
Niagara was hungry for a medal after a strong 12-6 regular season, but they struggled in their opening game of the tournament in Toronto losing 60-57 to the host Seneca Sting.
The Knights, relegated to the B side of the bracket, rebounded with a 77-59 victory over the Durham Lords in the consolation semifinals and silenced the Algonquin Thunder the following night to take the B title.
Welland native and Confederation graduate Courtney McPherson was named the Niagara player of the game against Durham finishing with 17 points and 17 rebounds.
Brooke-Lyn Murdoch, also from Welland and a Jean Vanier alumn, was named the Knights’ top player in the consolation final.
Murdoch, who was honoured as the OCAA defensive player of the year, recorded a double double, with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Niagara trailed Algonquin 34-29 at the halftime, but outscored the Thunder 22-12 in the third quarter and gradually built a lead going into the final quarter.
“It’s very good to have rebounded from Round 1 and win the consolation championship for the second year in a row,” Mike Beccaria, head coach of the women’s basketball team, said.
“We believe we took a step forward this year and continued progressing in the right direction, as evidenced in our 12-6 regular season record.”
Beccaria gave credit to the players, specifically Hope Brown who scored 10 points in the consolation final, as well as to assistant coaches Tara Giallonardo, Jon Hiller and C.J. Smith.