King's Christian sweeps Tier 2 basketball titles Small school might be eyeing Tier 1 for next year Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations single-A championships, will face Beaver Sports Editor Brampton Christian Monday with a return trip to provincials at stake. If the Cavaliers Is King's Christian Collegiate, a high school get past the Bobcats (King's defeated Brampwith 525 students this year, ready to take ton Christian by 15 points earlier this seato the hard court against Halton's largest son), Smith thinks they have what it takes to win OFSAA gold. schools next boys' basketball season? "Last year, (many of us) were in Grade 10 Carter Smith, a member of the King's seand were not as good," he said. "We have the nior team, doesn't see why not. "Yeah, I think so," Smith said Wednesday whole experience of being there." after helping the Cavaliers to a 60-43 win Junior Cavs hold off Eagles rally over the T.A. Blakelock Tigers in the regionThe junior Cavaliers broke open their al Tier 2 final at Sheridan College. final against Abbey Park with an 11-1 run "We went 14-0 in our season, and our ju- in the third quarter, ballooning their lead to niors lost one game. Some better competi- 44-26. tion would be good." For a while, it seemed the greater drama The senior Cavaliers' win completed their during the early-afternoon contest would school's sweep of the two be the result of the CanaTier 2 titles up for grabs da/Lativa Olympic men's Wednesday. Prior to the hockey contest being senior final, the King's juplayed at the same time niors built an 18-point in Sochi. Many students lead before holding on for departed the Sheridan a 62-50 win over the Abgym to watch the hockey bey Park Eagles in their game on a television in the championship game. foyer, and public address The senior title is the announcer John Metcalfe Cavaliers' third Tier 2 provided hockey updates crown since 2008 (there during stoppages in the was no Tier 2 division last basketball game. year due to public school The Eagles, however, teacher sanctions, and made things a bit more Carter Smith King's went 1-8 against its interesting in the fourth King's Christian boys' basketball player larger Catholic school opquarter, using a 12-0 surge ponents.) King's had never to pull within 52-45 with won a junior basketball title of any kind un- three minutes left. But they couldn't quite til Wednesday. overcome the King's tandem of Philip Rags"We have a good talent level, our coach- dale and Jaiman Dhindsa, who combined to ing's really good, and we just stick to our score 46 of the Cavaliers' 62 points. system," said Smith, who scored 15 points in Most of that scoring came in transition, the senior final. "We play fundamentally." something the duo said is typical for the Smith's teammate Lotanna Obi led all scor- King's squad. ers in the senior game, draining 22 points. "Endurance and pushing it. We don't have Jeremy Groot added 10. Hugh McLarty (17 many natural shooters. We just push it hard points) and Jordan Taylor (10) replied for and get easy points that way," said Dhindsa. Blakelock, which was 8-3 during the regu"We had the most points scored in all of lar season despite being a varsity squad that Tier 1 and Tier 2," Ragsdale pointed out. included seven Grade 10 students and one "It's all from fast breaks." Grade 9. The Cavaliers' win avenged a seasonKing's knocked down four three-pointers opening 53-44 loss to Abbey Park in Noin the opening frame to build a 21-11 lead, vember, though Ragsdale was away for that then limited the Tigers to a single field goal contest. in the second quarter and took a 32-14 ad"We did (feel like the underdog). We vantage into halftime. were the second seed," Eagles head coach "We came out a bit flat in the first half. Andrew Smith said. We'd been doing really well with our out"I'm just so proud of my guys. We battled side shooting game all season, and they shut hard the whole season and came out and that down pretty well," said Blakelock head showed the same energy today. It was just coach Ross Sumner. an awesome effort." "We felt we had nothing to lose. Playing a Karl Leep scored 12 points for the the Ea13-0 team, everything's at stake for them." gles. John Ferko scored 10, Connor Martin King's, which was second at last year's had nine and Adam Viera scored eight. by Jon Kuiperij 25 | Friday, February 21, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The King's Christian Collegiate Cavaliers won both Tier 2 titles up for grabs during Wednesday's Halton high school boys' basketball championships at Sheridan College. In top photo, King's player Lotanna Obi (in white) drives past Blakelock opponent Alex Ashton in the senior Tier 2 final. In bottom photo, the Cavaliers' Philip Ragsdale splits a pair of Abbey Park defenders during the juinor contest. | top photo by Michael Ivanin -- Special to the Beaver; bottom photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog We have a good talent level, our coaching's really good, and we just stick to our system.