Monster game lost in loss
Niagara Knight nets 56 points but team comes up short
Van Hutchinson Jr.’s virtuoso performance wasn’t heard in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) men’s basketball standings.
Instead, the Niagara Knights guard’s game- and career-high 56 points and 13 rebounds were drowned out by the sound of the opposing team’s shots swishing through the net in a 108-101 loss to the St. Clair Saints.
Niagara was unable to overcome a slow start and shake off
St. Clair in Saturday’s game in Windsor.
“Always a tough place to play, and we were hoping to bring enough energy to get the win,” said head coach Phil Mosley, whose Knights were coming off a 100-93 victory over the Lambton Lions the night before in Sarnia.
He nonetheless was pleased with the team’s compete level against the Saints.
“I was very proud of our young men who competed to the end and stayed together.”
Mosley felt bad for Hutchinson, whom he called the “mostdynamic player in the league.”
“I know he would trade in all his personal stats for the win, but he was a warrior and should be commended on his performance,” the coach said.
Keveshan Padachey, 16 points; Jordan McDonald, 10; also reached double digits in scoring for Niagara as the Knights fell to 5-2.
Padachey, 27 points, all but three from beyond the threepoint arc; Hutchinson, 25 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists; Livington Bromwell, 15 points, 17 rebounds; and McDonald, 12 points, 10 rebounds; were key contributors in the win over Lambton.
Head coach Mike Beccaria’s women’s team returned home to Welland after earning a split in the road swing through southwestern Ontario.
A 55-46 loss to the Lions was followed by a 77-76 victory over St. Clair that improved the Knights to 3-4.
“It’s a real testament to sheer determination and guts that we were able to beat a really good St. Clair team today,” he said. “It
certainly wasn’t easy, but it was very timely.
“Now, we need some rest and we have to ready ourselves for the trip to The Soo.”
Niagara’s hoops teams are in Sault Ste. Marie playing the Sault Cougars in doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday.
Four Knights scored in double digits against St. Clair – Bridget Atkinson, 21; Hannah Baker, 20; Allanah Yates, 18; Kim Shephard, 11 – and one – Atkinson, 14 – in the loss to Lambton.
Volleyball
Niagara improved to 4-2 in women’s college volleyball with a home-court victory over the Redeemer Royals.
The four-set decision – 25-13, 26-28, 25-17, 25-19 – was the third in a row for the Knights.
“We lost our focus for a few too many points in the second set, and Redeemer is much too good of a team to give away points,” head coach Natasha Spaling said. “It was nice to see the maturity of our team to refocus and execute when we needed to.
“After a slow start in the third set, our team maintained a high level of play ultimately winning the next two sets.
Standouts on the scoresheet for Niagara: Jordan Koslowski, 15 kills, two service aces; 13 digs; Natasha Desjardins, 12 kills, one stuffed block; Zeniah Pinnock, 10 kills, two service aces; Montanna Taylor, five kills, three service aces, 30 assists. After starting the season 0-3, the Niagara men went the distance against Redeemer for their third win in a row.
Set scores in Friday night’s match in Welland were 15-25, 25-20, 25-16, 17-25, 15-12.
Elijah Bugiardini, 14 kills, one stuffed blockists; Tristan Swinden, three kills, service ace, seven stuffed blocks; Jaydon Milne, eight kills, two service aces; and Micah Nieuwets, eight kills, two stuffed blocks; paced the Knights in points.
Niagara’s volleyball teams visit the Sheridan Bruins for doubleheader beginning 1 p.m. Sunday in Oakville.