Cyclone, Redcoats, Marauders capture basketball titles
The E.L. Crossley Cyclone, Governor Simcoe Redcoats and A.N. Myer Marauders all took home Niagara Region High School Athletic Association senior boys basketball titles Thursday.
The Cyclone topped the Centennial Cougars 75-35 to capture the Zone 3 AA final while the Redcoats defeated the Grimsby Eagles 67-51 to win the Zone 4 senior AA championship. The Marauders are the Zone 3 senior AAA champions after defeating the Fort Erie Gryphons 65-44.
Cyclone 75 Cougars 35
Riley Bleich paced the Cyclone with 13 points while Luke Klassen added 12 and Jackson Kalybaba 11.
LJ Newton 8 added eight, Josh Gibson six, Noah Minor four, Samuel Jeffrey and Connor Bleich four each, Adam Kleinsmith, Aakash Sentil, Hunter Roszell and Josh Larochelle two each.
“It’s nice to finish our season out in their last game in high school with the Zone 3 championship,” Cyclone coach Brian Bleich said. “I know there is going to be a tournament in two weeks which is nice.”
Bleich was referring to the BPSN Best in Niagara Boys Basketball Tournament which begins Monday, March 28 and will feature some of the top junior and senior teams in the area.
Bleich admitted it was a difficult due to the three-week layoff when the province shutdown in January due to the COVID pandemic.
“It was harder on the boys than the coaching staff,” he said. “I think all the teams suffered with the amount of kids who were playing and then not playing in the second half.”
Cam Larmand led the Cougars with 17 while Carter Williams and Gary Nelder added five each. Timi Ijadola added four while Jake Millar, Max McNeil, chipped in with two each.
Marauders 65 Gryphons 44
The Marauders earned their championship thanks to a balanced attack as 12 players hit the scoresheet.
Mike Ivanov paced the winners with 11 points while Manuel Maynard added 10. Adam Abboud chipped in with nine while Curin Smith added eight. Arden Martinez (five), David Arevelo (four), Benson Angerville (four), Jack Hunter-French (three), Hamid Ejaz (three), Jacob Lambert (two), Ethan Orr (two) and Cole Woodruff (two) rounded out the scoring.
“The coaching staff of the senior boys team could not be happier with the performance of the team this season,” Myer coach Tyler Thompon said. “Being able to finish the season with a zone championship is always an incredible feeling. It was a team win, with contributions from everyone who stepped on the court.
“These guys were truly committed this year and put in hard work day in and day out.”
Thompson said it will be tough to see the graduating members of the team move on.
“The senior members of our team played great throughout the season, and it will be sad to see them go,” he said. “We have a strong core of Grade 11s, and I think we’ll be a tough contender in the 2022-23 season.
“Manuel Maynard, a Grade 11 on the team, has proven to be one of the most talented players in the region. He will be a player to watch in the upcoming years. Along with senior guard, Curin Smith, they were instrumental to team success this year.”
Full names were not included on the Fort Erie game sheet.
Redcoats 67 Eagles 51
Kambri Watson poured in 18 points while Malcolm Perrin added 15 as the Governor Simcoe Redcoats triumphed over the visiting Grimsby Eagles.
Matteo Martin added 11 for the Redcoats while Rahiem McLean added seven. Oliver Vanyo collected five points while Robert Muir had four Reza Changizian three and Jacob Reynan two.
“I feel sorry for the boys because they only got to play eight games,” Simcoe coach John Ingribelli said. “I’m happy they got a season in and were able to finish it off.”
Ingribelli said only Perrin (Conestoga) has plans to play at post-secondary level.
“A lot of these guys are done,” he said. “All of the boys are going on their merry way and they’re done.”
The Redcoats lose seven of 10 to graduation but Ingribelli said the future is bright.
“We have a good junior team, eight or nine kids moving up,” he said. “We have a good core and a good two years.”
Full names were not included on the Grimsby game sheet.
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