March 4 Niagara College report: CCAA volleyball and OCAA hoops

The nation’s best women’s college volleyball players will be in action this week at Niagara College’s Welland campus.

Niagara will be hosting eight teams March 6-9 at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.

“This national championship is both a celebration of sports excellence and a chance to honour the incredibly talented female athletes and coaches involved in competitive sports across this country — right here in Niagara,” said Michele O’Keefe, Niagara’s associate director of athletics and recreation.

Practice sessions start Wednesday and the event will kick off Thursday at 1 p.m.  Final matches will be played Saturday with the bronze-medal match scheduled for 6 p.m. and the gold-medal game slotted for 8 p.m. The games will be followed by closing ceremonies at 10 p.m.

“It is our intention, with the support of our corporate partners, the Niagara College campus community, and the region’s volleyball community, to stage yet another successful CCAA national championship,” said Ray Sarkis, championship chair and Niagara intercollegiate coordinator. “Our host and organizing committee are excited and honoured to host this prestigious national event.”

Host Niagara College, the silver medalists at the recent Ontario Colleges Athletic Association championships, open play Thursday at 6 p.m. versus the Victoria Island University Mariners, the defending Canadian champions.

All games take place at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre. The games are free for Niagara College students, $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Children under 12 are free and all are welcome.

Prior to the start of the tournament Thursday, The Sport Symposium will be held from 9 a.m. 12 noon in The Core at the Welland Campus. Many big names in sports will be on hand to discuss sport marketing, sports communication and the 2021 Canada Summer Games.

NIAGARA MEN EARN BRONZE

Niagara’s men’s basketball team knocked off the defending national champion Seneca Sting 79-65 to win the bronze medal at the OCAA championships.

“This group of young men showed great character to follow a disappointing loss and chance at gold with arguably their best performance of the season,” Niagara head coach Phil Mosley said. “They defended a very good team with intelligence and grit and shared the ball on offence to secure the win and a bronze medal.”

Niagara last won an OCAA bronze medal in 2009.

Leading the way for Niagara in the bronze-medal game were: Jordan McDonald, a triple double with 14 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds; Van Hutchison Jr., 15 points, 17 rebounds and eight steals; Keveshan Padachey, 14 points; Welland Centennial grad Alex Elliott, 13 points; and, Governor Simcoe product Rahim Bardi, 11 points.

Niagara opened the tournament with a 96-81 victory over Lambton led by: McDonald. 23 points and 14 rebounds;  Padachey, 15 points and five rebounds; Lequan Hylton, 15 points; and, Elliott, 13 points and five boards.

“Tonight was a huge win for our program and put us in a position to play for a medal,” Mosley said, after the first game. “We started slow against their zone, but we knew our shots would drop and when that happened, our inside game took over.”

Niagara fell 94-47 to Humber in the semifinals. Top performers for Niagara were: Hutchison Jr., 10 points and eight rebounds; and, Saint Paul product Johnnie Richardson, eight points.

Hutchinson Jr.  of the Bahamas was named the OCAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association All-Canadian and a OCAA West Division First-Team All-Star.

The fourth-year guard led the OCAA with 138 assists and 56 steals and finished second with 258 rebounds. His 25.3 points per game led Niagara and ranked third in the OCAA.

Padachey was named to the OCAA West Division All-Rookie Team.

WOMEN HOOPSTERS MINE BRONZE

Niagara women’s basketball team also earned a bronze medal at the OCAA championships, thanks to a 99-55 triumph over Durham.

Leading the way for Niagara in the victory were: Welland Centennial grad Bridget Atkinson, 34 points, nine rebounds, six assists and six steals; Thorold Secondary School grad Hannah Baker, 19 points and six boards; and, Saint Michael’s product Rosa Delmundo, 11 points and five rebounds.

Niagara opened the tournament with a 69-55 victory over Sheridan, led by Atkinson with 25 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Also contributing to the victory were: Delmundo, 18 points; Baker, six points and 14 boards; and, Holy Cross product Tia Stys, six points and seven rebounds.

In the semifinals, Niagara lost 80-39 to the eventual champions from Fanshawe. Alannah Yates led Niagara in the game with 15 points and seven rebounds. Atkinson contributed eight points, 11 boards and six assists while Baker pitched in with six points and five rebounds.

Atkinson was named the OCAA West Division Defensive Player of the Year and a OCAA West Division First-Team All-Star The guard led the OCAA with 89 steals while contributing 148 rebounds and 10 blocks.