Hoops future looks bright at Niagara College
Niagara women finish fourth in Ontario, men place fifth as host team at provincials
Both Niagara College basketball teams competed in the Ontario championships on the weekend, but neither was able to end 201718 with a medal celebration at centre court.
Coming closest was the women’s team, which finished fourth in the province after dropping a 92-87 decision to Mohawk in the bronze medal game.
The Niagara men, the host team at the final eight played at the Athletic Centre in Welland, won their last two games to wrap up the season fifth overall in Ontario.
Sunday’s loss to Mohawk at the women’s championships in Etobicoke marked the third time the Knights lost to the Mountaineers this season.
“It was a monumental effort on our part, but we fell just a bit short,” said head coach Mike Beccaria, whose team suffered 70-65 and 87-42 setbacks to Mohawk in league play.
St. Catharines native and Governor Simcoe graduate Mary Ingribelli led Niagara with 33 points and eight rebounds. Katie Mahu, with 18 points, and Rysa Delmundo, 14 points, also scored in double digits for the Knights who battled foul trouble for much of the game.
Beccaria was pleased Delmundo and Mahu were able to contribute “very significantly” after being pressed into duty.
“We are also pleased that this team went as far as we did, and this should bode well for the future,” he said. “This is my first final four team with the women’s program and even though we didn’t medal, I think we can certainly build off that.”
Niagara rebounded from a 21-point deficit to edge George Brown 75-72 in the qualifying round Friday but there was no comeback when they fell behind early in the semifinals the following night. Fanshawe went on to win 72-52 before settling for silver in a 69-54 loss of three-time defending champion in the final.
After being eliminated from medal contention with an 84-72 loss to eventual champion Seneca, the Niagara men defeated Fanshawe 85-78 and Lambton 89-83.
In league play the Knights and Lambton split the season series. Niagara lost the opener 100-95 at home, and the Lions lost the rematch 81-79 in Sarnia.
“It was great to win the rubber match,” head coach Mike Hurley said. “It showed great character coming back and finishing strong by winning our last two games of the year.
“Our goal was to get to nationals, but finishing the season as the fifthbest team in Ontario is definitely a great accomplishment and something to be proud of,” he added.
Levi Mukuna, 25 points, 11 rebounds; Jordon MacDonald, 20 points, 15 rebounds; Van Hutchinson Jr., 20 points, seven rebounds; and Jordan Wilson, 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists; were standouts for the Knights in their victory over Lambton.
Key contributors in the consolation semifinal game against Fanshawe were Kevin Cooper, 16 points, seven rebounds; Hutchinson, 16 points, six rebounds; Wilson, 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists; Johnnie Richardson, 13 points, MacDonald, 12 points, and Mukuna, 10 points.
Niagara’s last Ontario medal in men’s hoops was a bronze in 2009 under Beccaria.
Georgie Groat was head coach in 2003 when the women won their last medal, a silver.