LATE MELTDOWN SINKS SHERIDAN

Broadcastsports Staff                                                                                 Posted January 31, 2008

Rexdale, ON -The Sheridan Bruins committed numerous mistakes late in the second half against arch rival Humber Hawks, leading to an 83-80 loss. The defeat also dealt a serious blow to the Bruins chances of winning the West division title .

The loss dropped the Bruins to 10-2 in OCAA play, leaving them one game behind Humber in the loss column. Humber can lock up the division title by winning their remaining games. Their  toughest test appears to be their trip to London to face Fanshawe. The Bruins would need to win out and hope that Humber stumbles in one of their remaining games.

Perhaps both teams were guilty of thinking ahead. With less than 3 minutes remaining the Bruins held a 5 point lead. Humber stepped up their intensity on defense. Sheridan's offense could not penetrate Humber's 2-3 zone, allowing the  Hawks to seize the lead.

The Hawks ked by 6 with sixty seconds left when  Bruins guard Jelani Matthews stroked a three ball to chop the deficit to 3. He then stole the inbound pass and converted a lay-up. Suddenly the Bruins were down 1 with 40 ticks on the clock. All they had to do was play straight up defense, get a stop and go for the lead. Inexplicably, Bruins Forward Shane Reese committed a foul, sending the Hawks to the line.  They converted both shots to go up by 3 but the Bruins responded with two of their own and called timeout down by 1.

On the ensuing play, Humber was called for a 5 second violation with 23 seconds left.  What transpired next left the Bruins bewildered. Humber's Jadwey Hemmings appeared to have fouled Sheridan's Tab Donaldson, but the officials let them play on. Hawks got the ball and the Bruins were forced to foul. Two more points from the foul line gave Humber the winning margin.

Hawks were money from the charity stripe in the second half, converting 17 of 21 in the final 20 minutes.

"We played great on offense but they killed us on the boards, they completely owned the offensive glass" said Bruins assistant Coach Nick Davis.

The rebounding numbers were also one sided. The Hawks finished with a 47-23 edge, including 25 offensive rebounds.

Hard to believe that the game was so close but Humber could not protect the ball.

"The only reason why we were in it was because they turned the ball over more than we did" says Davis.

The score was tied at 40 all after one half with neither team leading by more than 6 points all game.

Nigel Johnson-Tyghter continues his steady play, leading the Bruins with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals. Tab Donaldson added 16 points.

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