Article By: Jacob RobinsonFor the past three years, the Simcoe Sabres have finished at, or close to, the top of the NSSAA senior boys basketball standings. And for the past three years, the squad has entered the league finals only to come away empty handed.
That all changed on Thursday when the Sabres -- written off by many fans following a sluggish finish to the regular season -- rode a hot start and inspired defensive effort in the final to dethrone the defending champs from Delhi with a 35-26 victory.
All those recent losses in the league's biggest game seemed like a distant memory minutes after the contest when the club cut down the net while Queen's We are the Champions blared over the speaker system.
"It's awesome, we finally won -- that's what we've been trying to do the whole season, the (last) three years, that's what we've been trying to do," said Simcoe centre Kevin Allemang, who scored 11 points.
Having lost to Delhi in the same game last season, the Sabres came out on a mission. Thanks in part to five points from Tommy Tran, Simcoe led 7-0 in the opening minutes, 11-2 after a quarter and 16-2 at one point in the second against a stunned opponent.
"We were just fired up. We were ready to go from the start and I think that showed," Allemang noted.
"We had to battle because they're big down low, so we had to play defence -- that's it. All we had to do was play defence on them and we thought we had a good chance at winning."
Delhi began to push back towards the break, scoring 12 points in the second to get within nine. The Raiders managed to hang around in a low scoring third quarter that saw the teams produce just 10 points combined.
Early in the fourth, a technical foul assessed to the Sabres and Jordan Spain's two resulting free throws along with a put back from Delhi's Johann Jenkins narrowed Simcoe's lead to four.
Making matters worse for the Sabres, Tran was taken out of the game with a leg injury. He would soon return though, and nail a three-pointer late which served as the dagger. Delhi encountered some bad luck of their own, as centre Justin Lichach looked to injure his leg while driving the basket and did not return.
The Raiders missed four three-point attempts in a desperate effort to claw back late, ending their hopes for back-to-back NSSAA titles.
Delhi coach Kristin Mawhiney said the team's slow start had the club off its game.
"I think that's what it was, just a slow start. I think it was nerves -- it's very hard to come in as the previous champions and that's a lot pressure," she said. "I don't think we handled the pressure tonight as well as we wanted to."
Many of the Raiders were understandably saddened by the loss; after all, this team had aspirations of not just a NSSAA title but returning to the OFSAA championships like they did a season ago (albeit in AA instead of single-A action). While things didn't go as planned, Mawhiney made sure to convey her pride in the group.
"I've had them for four years and I just say, it's been one heck of a ride really," she said. "Going to OFSAA last year when we really didn't expect it and the effort we've seen the entire year from the guys. You couldn't ask for a better bunch of guys."
Tran finished with 13 to lead all scorers, and Sabres point guard Brandon Reaney had 10. The Raiders did not have a player in double digits.
The Sabres will move on to compete for a spot in the CWOSSA tournament on Tuesday. The squad will travel to Our Lady of Lourdes in Guelph for a play-in game. For now though, the club will celebrate its recent triumph, one where they even enveloped coach Greg Pajor in celebration following the final buzzer.
"That was awesome, that's what we've been planning on doing for so long and it finally came true for us," said Allemang.
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