The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ROOSEVELT Whylly and Abel Joseph have led the Holland College Hurricanes men’s basketball programme to the top of the polls headed into the Winter Holiday break.

The Hurricanes are ranked number in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, a position they retained since moving into the top spot early last month.

The Hurricanes are 7-0 and been particularly dominant in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) scoring an average of 97 points per game and outscoring their opponents by nearly 25 points per game.

In their most recent double header, the Hurricanes topped the Mount Allison Mounties and Crandall Chargers this past weekend. They defeated the Mounties (91-68) powered by Whylly’s double double – a season high 32 points and 12 rebounds.

In his most efficient game of the season, he shot 13-20 from the field and 4-7 from three-point range.

He also added three assists and a blocked shot.

Joseph scored 16 off the bench and added five rebounds.

Holland actually trailed at the half, before taking a five point into the fourth quarter. In the final frame they outscored Mount Allison 28-10 for the final margin.

In a more closely contested game, the Hurricanes emerged with a 98-87 win over the Crandall Chargers. They led wire to wire, including a 51-41 halftime lead.

Whylly had 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block while Joseph had 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

They return to the court in 2017 when they host the UKC Blue Devils on January 7 at the Holland College Centre for Community Engagement.

Joseph, in a reserve role, is second on the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game.

He is shooting 55 per cent from the field, 45 per cent from thee with 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Whylly is averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on 54 percent shooting from the field, 43 per cent from three and adding 3.3 assists per game.

Last season, Whylly helped lead the Hurricanes to a bronze-medal finish in the CCAA National Tournament and was named to the All-Tournament First Team.

The Hurricanes will be the hosts of CCAA Men’s Basketball Championships this year.

Jackson Jacob and his Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks maintained the No.3 spot in the poll.

They ended the break with a two game sweep over the King’s Eagles and lead the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) North division.

The second year guard continues to build on last year’s MVP performance and remains one of the top scorers in the conference with a 52 point weekend.

In game one, Jacob sank two free throws in the waning moments to propel the Ooks to a 79-78 win.

He finished with 25 points, including 12 in the decisive fourth quarter.

With seven seconds left to play, Jacob missed a jumper but grabbed his own rebound and was able to draw a foul on the follow.

He went on to make both at the line to put NAIT ahead for good.

In game two, NAIT dominated Kings 100-77, led by Jacob’s 27 points and six assists.

In one of his better shooting performances, he shot 12-18 (3-5 from three). 

The Ooks bid to repeat as CCAA champions continues in 2017 when they return to the floor January 6 and face the No.6 ranked Medicine Hat Rattlers.

Jacob is among the CCAA leaders in several offensive categories. 

He is currently the second leading scorer at 26.6 points per game and leads in total points scored with 319. He leads all players in field goals made (128), is fourth in both made free throws (47) and minutes played (408).

The biggest leap in the poll came from the Niagara Knights who have moved all the way up to No.5 

They opened the season at No.13, progressed to No.10 in week two, then No.9 before the four spot jump this week.

The Knights feature a trio of Bahamian players - Van Hutchinson Jr, Jordan Wilson and Kevin Cooper.

The Knights ended the first semester with a 95-73 win over the Fanshawe Falcons. The win brought the Knights to  6-1 overall and  second in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Western Conference.

Hutchinson was a force with 25 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Wilson added two points, four rebounds, six assists and three steals while Cooper finished with two points, two rebounds and a blocked shot.

After dropping their season opener, the Knights have won six games in a row to bring the semester to a close. It is the first time since the 2001-02 season that a Niagara team has put together a six game winning streak. 

When regular season play resumes on January 12, the Knights will host the Mohawk Mountaineers.

Hutchinson is averaging 13.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He posted 18 points and 10 rebounds against Sheridan and 24 points and seven rebounds at Mohawk.

Wilson, the versatile forward, is averaging 6.7points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

His best performances thus far have been six points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the opener and followed by a  13-point, eight-rebound performance.

The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is the national governing body for organised sports at colleges in Canada. It was formed in 1974. The CCAA hosts 10 annual national championships.

Its equivalent body for governing sports at universities is the Canada Interuniversity Sport. Some institutions are members of both bodies for different sports.