HWIAC Boys’ Basketball Championship 2023

SIR ALLAN MACNAB UPSETS SALTFLEET TO CAPTURE THE SENIOR BOYS HWIAC DIVISION I BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Sir Allan MacNab Lions rallied back from a 44-32 halftime deficit to defeat the defending champion Saltfleet Storm 71-68 in an exciting game to win the senior boys HWIAC Division I championship on Friday.

“We had nothing to lose,” said MacNab star player Dyante Johnson who scored a game-high 22 points. “They had an undefeated regular season and had beaten us (64-52) in the regular season, so the pressure was kind on them.  We believed we could come back.”

McNab head coach Willie Brown said there was no panic from his players at halftime and was confident they could overcome the 12-point deficit.  By the end of the third quarter, the momentum had swung in the Lions favour and they trailed by only seven points, 59-52.

In the fourth quarter it was clear that the championship game was up for grabs, as McNab continued to chip away at the Saltfleet lead.  Johnson, a 6-foot-3 forward, tied the game with two foul shots at 64-64 with 2:03 left in the game.  Johnson then scored again to give McNab the lead for the first time since the first quarter, 66-64 with 1:23 left in the game.

The tension continued to rise as the two teams went back and forth until McNab closed it out. Both the Lions and Storm will play in AA & AAA SOSSAs.

ORCHARD PARK PATRIOTS DEFEAT WESTDALE WARRIORS IN JUNIOR BOYS DIVISION 1 BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Nikhil Bola scored 29 point to lead Orchard Park Patriots to a 74-49 win over the Westdale Warriors in the HWIAC Boys’ Division 1 Basketball Championship on Friday. Bola was on fire and made six of eight three point attempts.  Bola’s precision shooting was incredible and Westdale no answer for the sharp shooter. Jamie Church scored 11 points to lead Westdale.

Dave Rashford

February 27, 2023