‘ Gut check of a game’
Visiting Niagara holds on after strong start to edge Mohawk by one point in men’s basketball
Niagara’s “best start of the year” in men’s college basketball ended in a nailbiter and with Mike Hurley breathing a sigh of relief
After taking a 43- 27 lead into the final half, the Knights appeared well on their way to their fourth win in a row, and their second this season, against the Mohawk Mountaineers.
So much for appearances. On the court, the hosts of Thursday night’s Ontario Colleges Athletic Association ( OCAA) West Division game in Hamilton never let themselves be initimidated by Niagara’s No. 6 ranking provincially and 11th nationally.
Mohawk chipped away at the lead throughout the third quarter and eventually tied the game setting up an exciting finish.
“This was a gut check of a game and a greater character win,” Hurley, head coach of the Niagara men’s team, said after the 79- 78 victory.
The Knights, who improved to 8- 3 with the win, finally started regaining their scoring touch in the final quarter.
That, combined with some strong defensive stands and key rebounds, was the difference in the paperthin victory.
Unranked Mohawk lost its second in a row to drop to 7- 7 in league play.
Van Hutchinson, with 30 points, 17 rebounds, eight steals; Jordon McDonald, 16 points, 12 rebounds; Levi Mukuna, 14 points, 10 rebounds; and Kevin Cooper, nine points, nine rebounds, seven blocked shots; made names for themselves on the gamesheet as Niagara completed a sweep of the season series versus Mohawk.
The Knights defeated the Mountaineers 70- 60 to tip off the season Oct. 20 in Welland.
Hurley touched on the sweep in his post- game comments.
“We have now swept the season series against both the Fanshawe Falcons and the Mohawk Mountaineers, two of Ontario’s perennial powerhouses,” the first- year coach said.
The Knights will have to win today on its home court to avoid winding up on the broom end of a sweep. The Redeemer Royals, 9- 1, their opponents in a 4: 30 p.m. tipoff at the Athletic Centre, opened head- to- head play with a 78- 66 victory Nov. 15 in Ancaster.
Redeemer comes into the game ranked eighth in Canada and second only to the 10- 0 Seneca Sting
in Ontario.
Mountaineers 87, Knights 42
Host Mohawk lived up to its No. 2 ranking in the province with a convincing victory over Niagara in women’s college basketball.
“The score speaks for itself,” head coach Mike Beccaria lamented after the Knights fell to 7- 5. “It was a night where we did nothing well and a really good defending silver medal team took full advantage.”
Sixth- ranked Niagara, which lost 70- 65 to Mohawk in the season opener, was outrebounded 5744 this time out.
“That’s likely the most telling stat,” Becarria said.
Mary Ingribelli, Courtney Kilyk, eights points apiece; and Tianna Stys, six; came closest to scoring in double digits for the Knights.
Ingribelli and Kilyk topped the team in rebounds with seven each.
With 6- 6 Redeemer in Welland for a 2: 30 p. m. game tonight, the Knights won’t have much time to rebound from Thursday night’s lopsided loss.
“We are going to have to try find a way to pick ourselves up off the mat and get ready for Redeemer.”
At least Niagara has history on its side coming into the rematch. The Knights opened the season series with the Royals with a 74- 70 win Nov. 15 in Ancaster.
Five- set loss
At Toronto, seventh- ranked Niagara pushed No. 3 Humber to the brink of elimination in men’s college volleyball before falling in five sets.
Set scores were 25- 14, 22- 25, 1925, 25- 20, 15- 13 as the Knights fell to 6- 5 and the Hawks improved to 9- 2.
“I thought we played some really good volleyball in the second, third, most of the fourth and fifth set tonight,” Niagara head coach Nathan Groenveld said. “We came out pretty flat in the first and Humber took it to us.
“I liked our response after that first set.”
He said the Knights can take a lot of positives from the loss as they prepare to visit the 4- 6 Mohawk Mountaineers tonight.
“I thought we did a great job against their two best outside hitters. They got 12 and 14 points, respectively, but both those guys can light it up for 30 any night.”
Robbie Zawleski, Niagara’s top male athlete last week, led all players with 10 digs.
Niagara lost in three sets to Humber in women’s volleyball. Set scores were 25- 18, 25- 22, 23- 25, 25- 20.
The Knights fell to 7- 4 while the Hawks remain undefeated at 11- 0.
Niagara’s women’s team visits Mohawk, 6- 4, tonight in Hamilton.