BROCK WINS CIS MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Fourth-year forward Dusty Bianchin of Niagara Falls, Ont. scored the final four points of the national final including a fade-away jumper with 11.4 seconds remaining, as No.7-Brock edged the No.5-Acadia Axemen 64-61 Sunday afternoon in front of 8,251 fans at Scotiabank Place to capture its second W.P. McGee Trophy.
Junior forward Mike Kemp, also of Niagara Falls, scored 15 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to earn game-MVP honours for the victors as the Badgers came back from a 10-point deficit to earn the crown.
Fourth-year guard Paulo Santana of Angola, Africa replied with 18 points and five rebounds and was named Acadia player of the match in a losing cause.
\"This was the ultimate,\" said 18-year Brock head coach Ken Murray when asked about sharing the title with his son, fifth-year guard Scott, who was wearing the Badger uniform for the final time.
\"I have been dreaming of this day since I was five years old and Dad won his last championship,\" said the younger Murray moments after sharing a celebratory hug with his father. \"He was the first person I thought of when the buzzer went and I turned to him and just wanted to hug him.\"
Murray of Welland, Ont. and third-year forward Mike Kemp of Niagara Falls scored five points apiece in the opening 10 minutes as the Badgers held a 14-7 advantage after one period. Brock went 2-for-12 from beyond the three-point arc but maintained control of the quarter by dominating the glass, out rebounding the Axemen 15-9.
The Axemen, seeking their fourth national title and first since 1977 when they downed the Lakehead Nor'westers 72-63, used the quarter-time break to recharge and came out running in the second frame.
Ottawa native and AUS player of the year Leonel Saintil sparked Acadia to a 16-4 run in the opening 15 seconds stealing a ball at mid-court and went in for an uncontested jam as the Axemen took a 24-18 lead with 2:46 to play in the half.
Kemp stopped the hemorrhaging momentarily with a triple for the Badgers, but the Axemen responded with seven straight to close out the half and take a 31-21 led to the locker room.
It was the lowest point-total at halftime for the St. Catharines side this season.
\"We controlled the play in the second quarter but we just didn't keep that going after the half,\" said Saintil, a first-team all-Canadian this season.
Santana and Kemp each had eight points to lead all scorers at the break.
OUA West co-MVP Brad Rootes of Niagara Falls was made sure he would be a factor in his final game as a member of the Badgers, scoring eight points in the third frame to help Brock square the contest at 51-51 after 30 minutes.
In the final quarter, the teams exchanged leads until Bianchin hit the eventual game-winning shot with 1:45 and then iced the game with the jumper in the dying seconds.
\"I knew that the shot clock was running down and I had to put it up and the ball just fell through,\" said Bianchin. \"This was our last shot at the title and we can now call ourselves national champions.\"
Fourth-year Philosophy student Owen White of Brock claimed the Jack Donohue Trophy as the tournament MVP for his 12-point, nine-rebound performance in the final, a 25-point tally against No.6-Western in the semi-final and a 22-point effort in the first round against No.2-UBC.
White was joined on the all-tournament team by Kemp, Acadia teammates Saintil and Achuil Lual, and Laval's Jean-François Beaulieu-Maheux, who led all scorers at the championships with 80 points in three outings.
The CIS men's basketball championship returns to Scotiabank Place in 2009 and 2010.
STAT LEADERS
Brock
Points: Mike Kemp (23), Owen White (12), Brad Rootes (8), Scott Murray (8)
Rebounds: Owen White (9), Brad Rootes (8)
Assists: Brad Rootes (6)
Player of the game: Mike Kemp
Acadia
Points: Paulo Santana (18), Shawn Berry (14), Leonel Saintil (12)
Rebounds: Leonel Saintil (7), Shawn Berry (5), Achuil Lual (5), Paulo Santana (5)
Assists: Paulo Santana (3)
Player of the game: Paulo Santana
TOURNAMENT HONOURS
Championship MVP: Owen White, Brock
Championship all-star team:
Owen White, Brock
Mike Kemp, Brock
Leonel Saintil, Acadia
Achuil Lual, Acadia
Jean-François Beaulieu-Maheux, Laval
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Friday, March 14
Quarterfinal #1: No. 6 Western Ontario 75, No. 3 Saint Mary's 70
Quarterfinal #2: No. 7 Brock 83, No. 2 UBC 78
Quarterfinal #3: No. 5 Acadia 85, No. 4 Laval 77
Quarterfinal #4: No. 1 Carleton 66, No. 8 Alberta 57
Saturday, March 15
Consolation #1: UBC 78, Saint Mary's 74
Consolation #2: Laval 87, Alberta 79
Semifinal #1: Brock 85, Western Ontario 75
Semifinal #2: Acadia 82, Carleton 80 (2OT)
Sunday, March 16
Consolation final (5th Place): Laval 86, UBC 84
Final: Brock 64, Acadia 61
(Source: John Bower, for the CIS)