Knights sweep Eagles in hoops
Men’s volleyball team hosts crossover playoff game
Niagara varsity teams combined to go 3-5 on the road in college basketball and volleyball during the past week.
After going 0-2 to Humber hoops, the Knights swept the University of Toronto Mississauga to improve to 13-5 and 10-8 in men’s and women’s basketball.
Niagara lost to Humber, 3-1, and Redeemer, 3-1, in men’s volleyball; and defeated Redeemer, 3-2, after being swept by Humber in women’s volleyball.
Van Hutchison Jr., with 22 points, 13 rebounds; Jordon McDonald, 15 points, 11 rebounds; each recorded a double-double for Niagara in a 95-81 victory over UTM.
Keveshan Padachey collected 19 points for the Knights, who out-rebounded the Eagles 46-32.
With the win, Niagara completed a sweep in the season series. The Knights won the opener 89-64 Nov. 8 on their home court in Welland.
While there are only two games remaining in league play, the Niagara men’s team remains a work in progress.
“Every game coming down the stretch is
meaningful, and improvement is still a key,” head coach Phil Mosley said. “We are trying to maintain a high level of intensity and compete regardless of our opponent.”
McDonald, 21 points, 19 rebounds; Hutchinson, 21 points, 17 rebounds; and Padachey, 17 points; topped Niagara in scoring in a 102-95 overtime loss to Humber.
On Wednesday night, Knights host Conestoga, 3-15, in their final home game of the regular season. Tipoff at the Athletic Centre in Welland is 8 p.m.
League play wraps up Saturday in London,
Ont., against Fanshawe.
Defence rests
The Niagara Knights defeated UTM 103-64 assuring themselves of at least a sixth-place finish in women’s basketball.
Niagara topped the century mark in scoring for the first time this season.
“We are happy with the 103 but not overly pleased with the 64 part,” head coach Mike Beccaria said. “The defensive aspect of the game is what our calling card has been, and we need to be better moving forward.”
Bridget Atkinson, 24 points, eight assists; Tia Stys, 17 points; Alannah Yates, 15 points,
nine rebounds; and Rysa Delmundo, 13 points; scored in double digits for the Knights.
Atkinson, 23 points, 12 steals, six assists; and Stys, 12 points, seven rebounds; were standouts for Niagara in a 67-54 loss to Humber.
“Despite the loss, we are developing a tough persona that should bode well come playoffs,” Beccaria said.
Niagara hosts Conestoga Wednesday night, hoping to earn a split in the season series versus the Condors.
Conestoga won the opening game of the home-and-home series with a 57-38 victory Oct. 24 in Kitchener.
Fourth-place finish
Niagara hopes to begin the men’s volleyball second season on a winning note after ending the first with back-to-back losses.
A four-set loss to Redeemer — 21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22 — dropped the Knights to 11-7 in league play.
They finished the regular season fourth in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) West Division and will host a cross-over playoff game Saturday.
“We started out very strong and put a lot of pressure on them with some strong serving and some excellent set distribution,” head coach Tommy Sloan said. “Unfortunately, our strong serving didn’t last past the first set and Redeemer elevated their blocking presence in a way that we hadn’t seen from many teams this semester.
“We didn’t adjust as well as we could have.”
Scoring in double digits for the Knights were Jaydon Milne, 11 kills, service ace; Micah Nieuwets, 12 kills; Tristan Swinden, eight kills, two service aces, two stuff blocks; and Elijah Bugiardini, nine kills, service ace.
Season wraps up
Niagara finished the women’s volleyball season fifth in the OCAA West Division with a 10-8 record.
Jordan Koslowski, with 15 kills, six service aces; Zeniah Pinnock, 20 kills, one stuff block; Natasha Desjardins, nine kills, three stuff blocks; and Tamara Edwards, eight kills, two stuff blocks; led the visiting Knights in a five-set win over Redeemer: 20-25, 20-25, 28-26, 25-21, 15-10.
The come-from-behind victory returned Niagara to the win column after 3-0 loss to Humber: 25-21, 25-16, 25-23.
Bernd.Franke@niagaradailies.com 905-225-1624 | @TribSportsDesk