Pocrnic, Syllas named OUA athletes of the week

Burlington, Ont. – Kali Pocrnic and Cole Syllas have been named OUA athletes of the week, fueled by Milk2Go Sport, for the period ending March 3, 2024.

Kali Pocrnic, Basketball, Carleton Ravens

It was a triumphant weekend for Kali Pocrnic and Carleton Ravens, as the veteran guard helped her squad finish their quest for the Critelli Cup as champions.

Starting with the semifinals on Wednesday evening against hometown rival Ottawa Gee-Gees, the Ravens kept it tight in the first quarter before pulling away thereafter to secure the convincing win in their penultimate conference game. Pocrnic helped lead the way for her team with 15 points and helped them punch their ticket to a second consecutive Critelli Cup.

Turning around to host the OUA championship a few days later, Pocrnic and the Ravens geared up to battle the Queen’s Gaels for a second straight year with a banner on the line. The senior led all scorers with 20 points, starting off the game’s scoring with a make from beyond the arc and finishing off with eight massive points in the final frame. Throughout the contest, the fourth-year Oakville, Ont. native knocked down big shot after big shot, keeping Queen’s at arm’s length, and ultimately securing another OUA title for her team.

For her efforts, the OUA first team all-star was named the Milk2Go Player of the Game.

Cole Syllas, Basketball, Queen’s Gaels

It was a weekend to create history, with Cole Syllas and the Queen’s Gaels doing just that in an historic Wilson Cup game on Saturday afternoon.

To get to that point, the Gaels first needed to get by the Varsity Blues on Wednesday night, a game that required two overtimes to find a winner. Syllas was a key cog for the championship-bound Gaels in that thrilling win, chipping in with a double-double  of 13 points and 13 rebounds to earn them the right to host the men’s basketball finale.

After a solid performance in the semis, the Gaels then had a quick turnaround to prepare for the Brock Badgers, and were dealt the team’s best shot to open up the game. Despite pulling close multiple times throughout the game, the Kingston squad struggled to find a lead, but Syllas, a Kingston, Ont. local, broke that trend with no time left on the clock. He ultimately racked up a game-high 29 points, but none were bigger than the buzzer-beating, bank shot trifecta that put the home team up 79-76 – their first lead of the game.

 In an evenly matched game going back and forth throughout, the Gaels entered the half separating themselves by a single basket. The Kingston forward racked up 29 points in the game, including the buzzer-beating three-pointer

Backed by the engineering major’s historic effort, Queen’s captured their first Wilson Cup in 67 years, while the game’s hometown hero was named the Kitch McPherson Player of the Game, presented by Milk2Go Sport.