Knights get OT victory along with hoops educational opportunity

College Avenue’s Devonte Bennett (right) heads upcourt in overtime past teammate Matt Fody and Glendale’s Lucas Sandham. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

The Woodstock College Avenue (CASS) senior boys’ basketball Knights picked up a homecourt overtime victory along with a hoops lesson about taking an opponent too lightly.

“Absolutely,” said coach Matt Sutherland following a 62-54 Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) OT win over the visiting Glendale Gemini on Dec. 10. “It’s one of those things where they came out with a lot of heart.

“A well-coached team - it took everything we had.”

The Knights led 15-12 after a quarter and 26-23 at halftime, before Glendale won the third quarter 14-10, setting up a frantic scramble in the dying seconds of a game closing out regulation tied at 53.

Overtime opened similarly as Knights guard Craig Sutherland broke the deadlock on a powerful drive to the basket 1:08 into the extra four-minute period. Although his primary intention was to pick up the ‘harm’ (free throws via a foul call), he was able to get the ‘hoop’ as well, giving CASS a three-point lead.

“I just took the ball and pushed,” recalled Sutherland, an approach fitting into the Knights’ general gameplan of an up-tempo attack off hard man defence. “I wanted to get the contact and managed to get the basket.”

Glendale’s Lucas Sandham had a three-point field attempt go in and back out of the basket on the next Gemini trip upcourt, and CASS’s Jake Hawkeswood upped his team’s advantage to five, draining both free throws after being fouled en route to the basket. A third strong drive and pair of free throws by Knights’ guard Devonte Bennett kept the momentum going and building toward a hard-fought victory.

“We tried to push the ball from the beginning (of OT),” said Bennett. “That’s where the separation kind of started.”

Bennett finished with seven points, Devin Fordham a point, rebound and block, Teshaine Peach six points and seven rebounds, David Kennedy a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds), Hawkeswood 12 points and Sutherland a game-high 24. Jacob Mogg hit double digits for the Gemini, Peyton Hawel had a dozen and Sanham a team-high 13 for a Glendale team which both surprised and challenged the Knights.

“They deserved to be that close,” credited Bennett. “They tried just as hard as we did, we just outfought them in the fifth period.”

While giving the Gemini full marks for their effort, Knights coach Matt Sutherland was also pleased with his squad’s continued resilience, 2-0 in the league at the time, and 5-0 overall.

“They’ve been in some close games, some gritty games and so far, they’ve responded in every one.”

A CASS alumni who played five years of Knights basketball including under coach Drew Symons, a deadly three-point shooter and national-level golfer in his playing days, Sutherland is enjoying both his first year of teaching English and coaching basketball at his alma mater.

“A good group of guys, one to fourteen,” he credited. “They support one another and are willing to be coached.”

Admitting being on a learning curve himself, Sutherland sees defence as the Knights’ strength, a tribute to the team’s commitment to putting in the required effort.

“It’s looking good so far, just keep working away and the results will come.”

TVRA East Senior Boys’ Basketball

Dec. 12

Woodstock Huron Park 59, Ingersoll DCI 53

St. Thomas St. Joe’s 62, College Avenue 42

Glendale vs. Woodstock St. Mary’s CHS

Dec. 10

Woodstock CI 63, St. Thomas Central Elgin 43

Woodstock St. Mary’s CHS 56, Aylmer East Elgin 53

St. Thomas Parkside 56, Ingersoll DCI 53

Dec. 9

Tillsonburg Glendale 53, Central Elgin 39

Lord Dorchester 57, Woodstock Huron Park 37

St. Thomas St. Joe’s 35, Ingersoll DCI 15

Parkside 78, Woodstock CI 73

Dec. 3

Woodstock CI 69, Glendale 49

Huron Park 59, East Elgin 53

St. Joe’s 67, St. Mary’s 47

College Avenue 52, Parkside 43

TVRA East Junior Boys’ Basketball

Dec. 12

Woodstock CI 62, St. Thomas Arthur Voaden 42

St. Thomas St. Joe’s 66, College Avenue 46

Woodstock Huron Park 47, Ingersoll DCI 40

Tillsonburg Glendale 45, Woodstock St. Mary’s CHS 34

Dec. 10

Woodstock CI 45, Central Elgin 25

Glendale 58, College Avenue 44

Ingersoll DCI 52, Parkside 50

St. Mary’s 48, East Elgin 28

Huron Park 49, Arthur Voaden 29

Dec. 3

Ingersoll 55, St. Thomas Arthur Voaden 35

Huron Park 56, East Elgin 36

Parkside 63, College Avenue 46

St. Joe’s 61, St. Mary’s 50

Glendale 50, Woodstock CI 30