It was a tremendous day for Vanier College basketball as the Men's team extended their perfect record for this year by winning the 2019 Provincial Championships, which were held at Collège Brébeuf on the weekend. On Saturday, March 2, Vanier took a dominating 97-64 win in the semifinals over the Champlain St-Lambert Cavaliers with Karim Mané leading the team with 17 points and being named Player of the Game. Then on Sunday, March 3, 2019, they faced the defending champion Montmorency Nomades and it was a very tough match in which the lead see-sawed back and forth and was literally in doubt up to the last second. However, the Cheetahs held out for the gripping 73-71 championship victory. In the game, Nginyu Ngala scored 22 points and was named Player of the Game as well as Tournament MVP.
Now it is on to Vancouver, British Columbia, to compete in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association National Championships, Tuesday March 12-Sunday March 17 at Langara College.
"Our Vanier Cheetahs Division 1 men's basketball team put their perfect season on the line in the Provincial gold medal game against the 2nd place Montmorency Nomades, the 3-time defending Provincial champs and 6th ranked nationally," said Head Coach Andy Hertzog. "It was obvious from the outset that the Nomades came to play and would do everything possible to win another championship. The game went back and forth, and it ended with an exciting finish. With around 20 seconds left in the game, Nginyu Ngala hit a huge 3 for us, giving us a 72-71 lead. A few seconds later Vanier secured a rebound and a hard-fought 73-71 victory, for the Provincial championship."
Nginyu Ngala was named Player of the Game and MVP of the tournament. Karim Mané and Josh Koulamallah were also named to the All-Tournament team.
Congratulations to coaches and team players. Coaches Andy Hertzog, Associate Head Coach Feras Saaida, and assistants Mike Flannery and Kazadi Nyanguila. Players: Steeve Joseph (Social Science with Math), Nginyu Ngala (Social Science), Christopher Biekeu (Social Science), Joshua Mein (Social Science with Math), Mauricio Rivera (Social Science), Richard Kwakwah (Social Science), Abdou Karim Mané (Social Science), Sultan Haider Bhatti (Social Science), Pier-Olivier Racine (Social Science Commerce), Haris Elezovic (Social Science), Joshua Koulamallah (Social Science).
