HAMILTON-WENTWORTH CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Sr. Braves take basketball championship

By Larry Moko

The St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves took a different approach against the Cathedral Gaels this time and it included winning.

The Braves upset the previously undefeated Gaels,76-65, in front of a packed house at the Cathedral gym on Thursday to capture the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic senior boys' high school basketball championship.

Cathedral had been title-holders in 2018 and 2019, qualifying both years for the OFSAA tournament. Brébeuf's last championship was four years ago.

"Credit to those guys," Braves coach Jae Dunphy said of the Gaels. "They had such a good season and really such a good run the last three years. We knew we had to game plan something different. What we did the first games against them this year wasn't working for us (74-68 and 79-64 losses)."

Brébeuf (12-2) finished second in the league standings before eliminating the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals and Bishop Tonnos Titans in the opening rounds of playoffs. After receiving a first-place bye, Cathedral's semifinal win was over the St. Mary Crusaders.
Said Dunphy: "We had to respect Cathedral's shooters a little more and challenge their guards to chip away with 2s instead of bombing away with 3s.

"I think our size played a big part. We were able to control the boards."

The HWCAA championship - the third in six years for Brébeuf - advances the Braves to the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference AAA semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 25 against the visitors from Georgetown. Game time is 3 p.m.

"Last year," Dunphy said, "Cathedral beat us in the All-Ontario Catholic, in our league semifinals and in our gym the game before that. So going back it's at least five or six wins in a row for them. We'll take this one and enjoy it."

With the score 36-34 for Brebeuf at the intermission, the Braves started fast in the third quarter by going on an 18-3 run. Overall in the third the Braves outscored the Gaels 22-11 with all but two of Cathedral's points coming on free throws.

"We knew they can score in a hurry," the Braves coach said. "Until that horn, nobody on our bench was jumping for joy that the game was over. I wasn't believing it either. You don't want to get in a 3-point shootout with that team. That's very much what they do."

Josh Omojofo was the top Brébeuf scorer with 17 points. Omeechi Williams and Baron Bayne contributed 15 apiece while Ares Culley-Bremner chipped in with 12 and Cale Calura added 11.

Ten of Culley-Bremner's points came in the fourth quarter from close range after he either took short feeds from his teammates or went back up with offensive rebounds.

Culley-Bremner and Williams also provided an impressive defensive presence in terms of their shot blocking and board work.

"Ares was phenomenal down low today," Dunphy said. "He kept plays alive and got rebounds. He didn't let them establish themselves down there. And he did it without picking up foul trouble."

Malcolm Maganda netted a game-high 21 points for Cathedral and Jojo Moudiandambu came off the bench to provide a spark with 10 second-half points.

"Malcolm made it a game by picking up and-ones," Dunphy said. "It was making us pretty nervous."

Dunphy was pleased that Williams and fellow fifth-year player Calura will be able to go out on top. He said: "Omeechi is our spiritual leader. He respects his teammates and his opponents in preparation for the game. He's one of the most phenomenal team leaders I've seen."

Said Culley-Bremner: "Everybody gave their best effort. We knew we had the talent. We just had to come together and lock in mentally to make the right plays."

Other Brébeuf players included Parker Davis, Shayne Andaya, Osha Joaquim, Markell Dell, Conor Allen, Tavian Hart, Jacob Cordero, Isaac Graham, Matt Maraj and Malachi Storer.