The Grade 10 boys' basketball team exploded in the third quarter to defeat Handsworth 52-38 in an important North Shore league game. This big win assured the Cavs a home playoff game next Wednesday. Coach Ditson was thrilled with his team's second half performance. Here is his game report:
On a night when they found themselves provincially unranked for the 3rd consecutive poll, the Collingwood Cavaliers looked every bit the part of a Top 10 team.
The Cavs scored 27 points in the 3rd quarter after being down 19-17 to the Handsworth Royals going into the break. That 3rd quarter run lead the Cavs to a 52-38 victory over the Royals on Thursday night.
Of particular note were the combined scoring performances of Aleem Karmali (15pts, 6rbs) and Lochlan Collins (11pts, 4asts, 4 stls).
''I've got to bring it,'' Karmali said. ''I've got to be ready at all times; we always need to have the mindset to be aggressive.''
Riley Arbogast added 9 points from deep, and Tariq Alibhai had 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals to help the Cavaliers extend their four-game winning streak.
''It felt like we were a step slow in the first half,'' coach Ditson said "we needed to push the pace and play our up-tempo game in the 3rd and 4th."
The Cavaliers have won four in a row and eight of ten since starting the new year with a trip to Oregon and a loss to Banks High.
''Ever since we got back from Portland we've gotten closer as a team,'' Collins said. ''We had to come out tonight and play with a lot of energy, play hard, play with heart, and just continue to battle play after play after play.''
Coming off the Injured Reserve, Collins regained his starting position last week, and looked focused and ready in one of the team's first major challenges with him back at full strength. They came out firing against the taller Handsworth defense, and opened the 1st quarter on a 10-2 run. Stagnant offense, and a few moments of poor shot selection allowed the Royals to close the gap and take a 19-17 ead into halftime.
In the 2nd half, Karmali hit a pair of 3-pointers to try to jumpstart a Cavs charge in the 3rd quarter and Alibhai made three consecutive transition layups to stretch the Cavalier lead to 10. A 3-pointer from Riley Arbogast backed onto a buzzer beating layup from Tom LeBlanc pushed the Cavalier lead to 44-30 going into the 4th quarter. The Royals pushed back, and closed the gap to 8 points on a pair of And-1 baskets midway through the 4th. The young Cavs answered with consecutive scores, played smart basketball, and held the lead for the remainder of the game with patient offense, timely offensive rebounds, and disciplined defensive possessions.
"Handsworth played their traditionally physical style of basketball,'' Arbogast said, ''but we made plays on offence, and got stops on defense. That's hard to overcome."
The return of Lochlan Collins has made the Cavs an even more impressive team.