Niagara nets respect in men’s hoops

Knights ranked fourth in OCAA top 10

Three Niagara College varsity teams resume league play this weekend ranked in the top 10 provincially, including one for the first time.

Niagara dropped to sixth from fourth in the weekly Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) men’s basketball rankings after a 108-101 road loss to the St. Clair Saints that dropped their record to 5-2.

Ahead of the Knights in the rankings are the Humber Hawks, 6-0; Seneca Sting, 5-1; George Brown Huskies, 7-1; and Sheridan Bruins, 5-2.

Niagara travels to Sault Ste. Marie to take on the Sault Cougars, 0-8; in games Saturday and Sunday.

A 3-1 home-court victory over the Redeemer Royals was the third in a row for the Knights in women’s volleyball, but Niagara’s place in the weekly rankings remains unchanged at eighth.

On Sunday the 4-2 Knights travel to Oakville to open a homeand-home against the sixthranked Sheridan Bruins, also 4-2. Season series in the West Division rivalry wraps up Thursday, Jan. 17, at the Athletic Centre in Welland.

Topping the women’s volleyball rankings are the 7-0 Fanshawe Falcons. St. Clair, 5-1; Humber, 4-1; Durham Lords, 6-0; Mohawk Mountaineers, 3-3; round out the top five.

Niagara made the top 10 in OCAA men’s volleyball for the first time this season after edging third-ranked Redeemer 3-2.

The victory was the Knights’ third in a row after starting the 2018-19 season 0-3.

Next action for Niagara is men’s volleyball is Sunday at eighth-ranked Sheridan, also 3-3.

Fanshawe is No. 1 in Ontario with a 7-0 record.

Niagara in unranked in women’s basketball.

The Knights put their 3-4 record on the line Saturday in a road game against Sault College, 0-8.

No team from the region’s community college is ranked nationally.