WATERFORD -- The Delhi junior boys basketball team has carved out a reputation as being an up-tempo, fast-paced, run-you- into-the-ground type club. In the past week, the blue and gold have hustled their way right towards a pair of championships, the latest one a title their school hasn't seen in almost a decade.
Following a thrilling defeat of the Simcoe Sabres in a junior NSSAA final that people are still talking about, the Raiders set their sights on the CWOSSA single- A championship held across the county at Waterford District High School.
The Raiders topped Peninsula Shores 49-31 in the semifinals early Wednesday, and would take on the always-tough Rockway Flames in the championship.
Right from the opening tip, it was clear the Raiders were still carrying the momentum from their Norfolk title, as Marshall Winsor nailed a three pointer from the baseline just seconds in. Leading 11-8 after one quarter, the two teams wound up tied at 14 midway through the second. With time ticking down in the half, Joel Harrison nailed a shot from beyond the arc to give Delhi a lead they would never relinquish.
"Intensity," Winsor pointed to as the key in the game. "We knew that (Rockway's Alex Sheedy) could shoot so we had to stop that and just (play with) intensity. We had to just come out and play basketball."
Though the Flames kept things tight, the Raiders pushed the pace with some long bombs down the court, like when Kyle VanWynsberghe launched a pass to a streaking Drew Murray. Knowing he would be too far under the bucket for a lay up, Murray alertly threw a backward pass to an open Jacob Leger for an easy field goal. The play symbolized the Raiders' efforts throughout the contest.
"It feels unreal," Winsor said. "We were in a slump for a bit of this season, we couldn't make anything. Then we just fired up, won the Simcoe game, came here positive and won."
VanWynsberghe added a steal and lay up with just seconds left in the third to put Delhi ahead by 11. The dagger came from Winsor, who made another three pointer late, giving him a game high 15 points and helping Delhi --54-35 winners -- to their first CWOSSA title since the 2001 season.
For many players, the title comes on the heels of a CWOSSA junior volleyball title back in the fall. This one, Murray said, was a tad more special.
"It feels better this way to have NSSAA to go with it. You feel like you actually won," said the 11-point scorer.
Like their junior comrades, the senior Raiders went on to defeat the Flames in their CWOSSA title game hours later, giving the school one of the finest sporting days in its storied history.
"It's just awesome to have both teams playing so well," Murray said. "It kind of feels like we're all one team almost because we're doing so well together."
Winsor also scored 15 points in the semifinals against Peninsula Shores and Murray followed with 12.
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