By Bobby Mihalik
Humber Athletics Sports Information
ETOBICOKE, Ont – Day Three of the 2018 OCAA women’s basketball championship at Humber College Athletic Centre in Etobicoke, Ont. continued Sunday afternoon with a bronze medal matchup between the Mohawk Mountaineers (17-3, 3rd West) and the Niagara Knights (14-6, 4th West). Overcoming a Knights team that challenged for the lead the entire game, the Mountaineers defeated the Knights 92-87 to take home the OCAA bronze medal.
The Mountaineers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, quickly jumping to an eight-point lead. Outscored 14-4 in the first five minutes, the Knights fiercely retaliated, scoring eight straight points of their own. Despite the Knights’ pressure, the Mountaineers finished the first quarter strong, taking a 26-18 lead into the second.
The Knights began the second cutting out a chunk from their deficit, scoring five straight points. The Mountaineers, finding their offensive rhythm, kept pace with the Knights for the remainder of the quarter. Only losing one point off their first quarter lead, the Mountaineers maintained their cushion and closed out the first half ahead 48-41.
The teams traded blows on the scoreboard in the third, with the Mountaineers scoring every time the Knights gained ground. Down by 11 halfway through the quarter, the Knights mounted a charge, outscoring the Mountaineers 17-8 through the remainder of the third, shrinking their deficit to two points at 68-66 before the fourth quarter.
Tying the game to start the fourth, the Knights then fell behind by five as the Mountaineers refused to surrender their lead. The Mountaineers fought to remain in front on the scoreboard, but the Knights crept back up, behind by one with less than five minutes remaining. From there, the Mountaineers regained control, surviving the Knights’ final efforts and outscoring them 24-21 in the fourth to claim victory 92-87, winning the OCCA bronze medal.
The Mountaineers went 46.3 percent (31-of-67) from the field during the game and made 33.3 percent (7-of-21) of their three-point attempts. The Knights shot 37.5 percent (30-of-80) from the field but converted on 55 percent (11-of-20) of their three-point shots.
Stef Hrymak led the Mountaineers in scoring with 26 points on route to be named Mohawk’s Player of the Game. Shanien O’Neill, who was named Mohawk’s Tournament All-Star, had 16 points for the Mountaineers, Abby Heron had 14 points, and Jasmina Kucic led her team in rebounds, with ten.
The Knights’ leading scorer was Mary Ingribelli, who had 33 points and eight rebounds and was named both the Player of the Game for Niagara and their Tournament All-Star. Kaitlyn Mahu had 18 points, and nine rebounds for the Knights and Rysa Delmundo had 14 points.
The Mountaineers victory in the bronze medal game gives them their fifth straight OCAA medal, after finishing with the silver medal the past four seasons.
Next up is the final game of the 2018 OCAA women’s basketball championship, the gold medal match between the host Humber Hawks and the Fanshawe Falcons, scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
