The Wilson Cup will stay in Ottawa this year as the Ravens men’s basketball team cruised to victory over the Ryerson Rams, winning 81-61.
Carleton’s veterans turned up with some big performances, buoyed on by a packed crowd. Guard Yasiin Joseph tied for top scorer of the game with 20 points, along with forward Eddie Ekiyor.
Joseph took home the game’s most valuable player award for his performance, and said a change in mindset going into the game helped down the Rams.
“Be aggressive—we weren’t aggressive last time we played them. They were the aggressors, therefore they beat us.” Joseph said.
Carleton displayed that mindset from the tip-off. The Ravens opened strong off a three-pointer from forward Marcus Anderson, and within six minutes had opened a healthy 10-point lead with a score of 19-9.
Carleton’s high tempo play and ball movement helped them get inside the Rams’ defense highlighted by Joseph making the and-one three throw after fighting through the defense to finish a layup. The first quarter ended with Carleton up 25-16.
Carleton stretched their legs in the second, putting together a 13-1 run with back-to-back threes from Anderson and guard Munis Tutu. The crowd roared as Ekiyor rose strong to with a slam dunk, taking the Ravens into half-time with a 44-27 lead.
Ekiyor said the high expectations that come with playing for Carleton is actually a boost.
“We’re blessed to have the alumni, and be part of the winning culture with Dave Smart and all the guys, and that really helps us not only in basketball but in our daily lives,” Ekiyor said.
Both teams started the second half sluggishly; the crowd was incensed when Ekiyor was called for two blocking fouls one after the other. Carleton’s shooting aim was off, something Joseph said needed addressing in practice.
“We were thinking too much about our shots, were not coming in the gym that much, usually we’re in the gym more,” Joseph said. “So we got to get in the gym more.”
Ryerson struggled from the free-throw line throughout, but Rams big-star centre Tanor Ngom seemed to turn that around. He helped string together a run from the charity stripe as Ryerson offered a glimmer of hope of getting back into the game with the score at 48-35.
“These next two practices we have to bring our intensity up and we have to come together,” Joseph said. “Every play matters in practice, we got to do the right thing.”
The Rams momentum was halted, however, with Joseph coming up big on both sides of the ball. First with the soft touch on offence, then the emphatic block on defence.
Ekiyor emphasized defence as being a crucial part in his team leading the game.
“Last time we played them, they got to do whatever they wanted,” Ekiyor said. “They scored at will, but this time we got to locking up their main guys.”
The Ravens closed out the game comfortably from there, dribbling the ball out to a standing ovation from the crowd. Joseph said he appreciated playing in front of a home crowd, but that the team was very much looking forward to nationals.
“We have to come together—it’s not done. We were in this position last year and we didn’t win the whole thing. That’s our goal, this isn’t our goal,” said Joseph.
Ekiyor reiterated the sentiment, calling on the team to focus going into nationals.
“We want to be confident. You can’t play not confident, but we can’t forget this game doesn’t matter in the end,” Ekiyor said. “We can’t forget that teams are going to come out, and teams are going to come after us, and we got to come together.”
Photo by Tim Austen
