Final regular season standings:
East (7): Algonquin (12-0); Durham (9-3); Centennial (6-6); Cambrian (5-7); Seneca (5-7); George Brown (3-9); Loyalist (2-10)
West (7): Humber (11-1); Sheridan (9-3); St. Clair (9-3); Fanshawe (6-6); Niagara (4-8); Mohawk (2-10); Lambton (1-11)
Playoff non-qualifiers:
George Brown Huskies: Lester Jones, Abdo Chidiac, Shafford Kerc, Mike Asiedu, Anthony Oral, Keston Joefield, Gad Pednitter, Jason Burch, Kevin King, Marvin Arthur, Nicolas Merra, Clint Marshall, Ramon Marchetti, Shkno Bachler, Norris Julier, Jeremy Currie and Jason Abraham.
Lambton Lions: Steve McGregor, Geoff Gordon, Kevin Mcdonald, Jerrison Reaume, Steve Tully, Sean Allen, Scott Stephenson, Gary Docherty, Steve Bogart, Steve Smith, Colin Beier, Tim Kokouko, Mike Hunter, Chris Moyhew, Travis Bosma, Simon Pulton and Aaron Zimmes.
Loyalist Lancers: Greg Sine, Jason Sheppard, Darrell McGrath, Matt Middleton, Derek Campbell, Aaron Kiser, George Kapaclle, Rob Martin, Jeff Claroux, David Dobson, Rick Parsons and Scott Burns.
Mohawk Mountaineers: Dave Griffin, Paul Petersen, John Newport, Mike La Rose, Sam Major, Kirk Alfara, Gary Hodges, Ryan Beirnes, Gregory Robinson, Ian Crocker, Al Siredda, Mike Haitas, Tom Krukowski, Chris Piecuch, Stuart Miles, Carlo Comegna and Si Khounviseth.
Niagara Knights: Mike Hurley, Derek Flindall, Adrian Knaap, Frank Keltos, John Wark, Sergio Vercesi, John Nicholson, Dave Moukperian, Mike Dolan, Brian Fowler, Adrian Golombek, Steve Huisman, Jamie Paris, Scott Peters, Martin Bourgeois and Jeff Boehler.
Seneca Braves: Wayne Roomes, Nate Hogan, Brian Jarvis, Peter Vale, David Anwan, Stephen Shalland, Sean Williams, Junior Hamilton, Adam Stewart, Don Purcell, Marlon Coore, Sas Frjlanic, Jeremy Found and Raffi Asailian.
The Tier II champ St. Lawrence-Kingston Vikings exercised their right to challenge for the Tier I playoffs but fell 105-88 to fourth place Cambrian. The Vikings took a 10-point lead in the second half but faltered when they got in foul trouble. “It seemed every time we scored, the referees did something to us,” said Vikings coach Barry Smith. Brad Goodridge led St. Lawrence with 40, including 30 in the second half. Jack Quigley added 20, including five from beyond the arc in the first half. Steve Roach led the Golden Shield with 32.
In the postseason quarterfinals, the Algonquin Thunder thrashed the Fanshawe Falcons 92-72. The Falcons included Euril Glasgow, Bob Field, Jim Lacey, Paul Dunn, Shawn McLeod, Kevin Ponting, Mike Candertuin, Mike Cassidy, Chris Kloosterman, Paul Sewitt, Adam Ripley, Junior Agostini, Craig Burne, James Beard, Kent Johnston, Patrick Lamy and Todd Bonk.
The Sheridan Bruins dumped the Centennial Colts 89-65. The Colts included Shawn Green, Kenny Mitchell, Greg Grant, Alistair James, Wayne Rowe, Marco Oliva, Burt Hill, Mike Pope, Hayan Herdsman, Christopher Elcock, Duane Greenodge, Aeon Nelson, Lincoln Writtaker, Aaron Grey, Mark Maynard, Sean Beckles, Brent Kitson, Shawn Farquharson and Dereck Payne.
The Durham Lords throttled the St. Clair Saints 96-71. In the pre-game warmup, the Lords lost starter Sherlon Chance to a season-ending knee injury, and John Tail to an ankle injury. But Augusto Duquesne scored 32 and the Lords got major contributions from their bench. They opened with a 19-4 run, included five points from Dwane Forrester, returning to the line-up after two months because of injury. They extended their margin to 62-34 as Adam Estabrooks scored 10, including an electrifying dunk. “It was complete intensity,” Estabrooks told the Durham Chronicle. “It steps you up to
another level, plus it gets everyone else on the team into it.” Lords coach Kerry Vinson said “the guys coming off the bench played really well. Bill Leron played well and so did Dwane Forrester, and he hadn’t played in a number of weeks. But it was not just those two. Everybody did a good job.” The Saints included Rob Andrunkanis, George Chibani, John Lopez, Ian Coaton, Jim Law, Joe Sarkis, Lee Awad, Lonny Upcott, Ted Beale, John Pierce, Ron Butihen, Ryan Jersy, Greg Huggins, Leon Bell, Shaun Guadeloupe, Tyrone Elliott and Richard Durocher.
In the last quarterfinal, the Humber Hawks whipped the Cambrian Golden Shield 101-81 as player of the game Jason Daley scored 29. The Hawks quickly established a double-digit lead which they never relinquished. The contained the Golden Shield’s perimeter shooters and were never threated. Hawks coach Mike Katz told The Coven “we just want to win the
game no matter how we do it.” The Golden Shield included Steve Roach, Gilles Villeneuve, Jeff Poole, Danny White, Steve Finlayson, Ken MacIntyre, Don Muto, Steve Coles, Joel Amelotte, Malvin Marsolais, Chris Bradford, Brad Noble, Joey Brandt and Christopher Williams.
In the Final Four semis, hosted by Durham, the Humber Hawks defeated the Durham Lords 99-68. The smaller but quicker Hawks kept pace with the bigger and stronger Lords early on, then simply outran, outshot and outlasted their overmatched opponents. “In the sport of basketball, quickness is probably more important than height,” admitted Durham coach Kerry Vinson. Lords used big Cuban centre, Augusto Duquesne, who finished with a Durham record 40 points, to full advantage in the early going with the score tied at 25. But then Humber’s own big man, Steve McGregor, who finished with 26, converted some big offensive rebounds and, combined with guard O’Neil Henry’s clever penetration game and some clutch three-point shooting, helped Hawks take a 45-29 lead into the intermission. “That was just about as good as we can play and, when we play like that, we’re tough to beat,” said Humber coach Mike Katz. Dennis Barham added 18 for the Hawks, Everton Webb 13, Oneil Henry 9, Steve Neilson 7, Jason Daley 7, Mark Croft 7, Warrick Manners 5, Dwayne Newman 3, Ken Prentice 2 and Kevin Shand 2. Raefer Parray added 12 for the Lords, Kenrick Hopkinson 6, John Tait 4, Adam Estabrookw 2, Bill Leron 2 and Brian Aylward 2. Barham was chosen player of the game for the Hawks, while Duquesne earned the laurels for the Lords. Lord guard Kendrick Hopkinson told the Durham Chronicle that “I was embarrassed. In front of my crowd they beat us, they pummelled us into the ground.” The Hawks broke open an 27-27 tie with an 18-2 run. Lords coach Kerry Vinson said “you have to give Humber credit. They played a great game and they deserved to win. They’re not the number one team in Canada for nothing.” Former Lord Dennis Barham told the Coven that “for the Durham game I was really hyped. I was focused and my teammates were trying to get me the ball early, so when I was hitting the (three-pointers) it felt real good.”
In the other semi, the Sheridan Bruins upset the Algonquin Thunder 83-77 in overtime as George Frempong scored 26, Wayne Mulgrave 13, Donovan Brown 12, Michael Alleyne 10, Scott Chisholm 10, James Rogers 8, Sean Stevens 2 and Michael Bascoe 2. Greg Shirley paced the Thunder with 20. Bryan Eburne added 17, Dwight James 13, Jeff Neasmith 11, Jeff Boyce 9, Mike Kosavic 7 and Tracy Bameo 2. Frempong was chosen player of the game for the Bruins, while Shirley earned the laurels for the Thunder.
In the bronze medal match, the Durham Lords defeated the Algonquin Thunder 75-64. Durham caught fire in the second half with Adam Estabrooks, scoring all his 11 points. Raefer Parray saved 12 of his 14 for the final 20 minutes, and Augusto Duquesne with 10 of his 30, led the Lords during the second half surge. “Algonquin’s been the team we haven’t been able to beat,” Estabrooks said. “Five times in two years we’ve got them and weren’t able to beat them. Tonight, it was really good to beat them.” Second-year head coach Kerry Vinson, who picked up his seventh OCAA medal in 10 years, concurred. “I thought it was overdue. I probably would have preferred to win last year’s semi-final against Algonquin as opposed to today’s bronze medal game.” Estabrooks told the Durham Chronicle that “the first half seemed to drag and the intensity just wasn’t there on both teams. But when we came out in the second half, I felt myself but this is my last year, and I wanted to give it my all.” Rick Jordan added 12 for the Lords, Kenrick Hopkinson 5 and John Tait 4. Bryan Eburne led Algonquin with 23. Jeff Neasmith added 8, Jeff Boyce 8, Tracy Bamfo 7, Greg Shirley 6, Scott Goodridge 5, Dwight James 3 and Mike Kosavic 3. Algonquin led 29-28 at the half but Lord guard Raefer Parray opened the second frame with a trey and Durham romped thereafter. The Thunder (coached by Wayne Newberry) also included Hendrick Parisien, Freddie Challenger, Carleton Reid and Scott Austin. Hopkinson was chosen player of the game for the Lords, while Eburne earned the laurels for the Thunder. Hopkinson said “we worked on a zone (defence) that took away the three point shot. “I think that was probably the key to winning that game.”
In the final, the Humber Hawks dumped the Sheridan Bruins 86-78 to capture its fifth consecutive provincial title.
Jason Daley paced the Hawks with 19. Steve McGregor added 17, Mark Croft 14, Everton Webb 10, Oneil Henry 9, Dennis Barham 8, Newman Dwayne 5 and Warrick Manners 4. Donovan Brown led the Bruins with 17. George Frempong added 16, Sean Stevens 16, Wayne Mulgrave 11, James Rogers 6, Michael Alleyne 6, Alvin Noel 4 and Scott Chisholm 2. Croft was chosen player of the game for the Hawks, while Mulgrave earned the laurels for the Bruins. The Hawks, led by tournament MVP Steve McGregor, dominated the boards. “I didn’t do it myself,” McGregor told The Coven. “My team got me the ball at the right time, so it’s theirs as well as mine.”
The bronze medalist Durham Lords: Augusto Duquesne; Sherlon Chance; Kenrick Hopkinson; Adam Estabrooks; Augusto Duquesne; Raefer Parray; Patrick Johnson; Rick Jordan; John Tait; Fred Grannum; Dwayne Forrester; Bill Leron; Brian Alyward; Gari Oke; Chris Teeter; Ian Bentley; Dave Pickering; Paul Doucet; Kevin Williams; Paul Weeks; coach Kerry Vinson
The silver medalist Sheridan Bruins: George Frempong; Wayne Mulgrave; Andrew Shephard; James Rogers; Kevin Jacobs; Donovan Brown; Alvin Noel; Sean Stevens; Michael Alleyne; Scott Chisholm; Mark Ennis; Michael Bascoe; Chris Williams; Shane Thurston; Andre Wilson; Maurice Goode; Kevin Cayle;
The gold medalist Humber Hawks: Steve McGregor; Jason Daley; Everton Webb; Dennis Barham; Oneil Henry; Ken Prentice; Warrick Manners; Henry Garbrah; Mark Croft; Kevin Shand; Steve Nelson; Dwayne Newman; Patrick Lewis; coach Mike Katz; assistant Rick Dilena; manager Maurice Robinson