The Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team beat the Queen’s University Gaels 80-63 in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Wilson Cup Quarterfinals.
Ravens guard Isiah Osborne led the way with a game high 25 points.
“Just come out and be confident in my shot, keep shooting the ball, and that’s pretty much it. Play hard every game, try my hardest,” Osborne said.
The Ravens took the first lead of the game 50 seconds in, as guard Marcus Anderson made a three-point jump shot to put the Ravens up 3-0.
Queen’s answered back seconds later, as guard Quinton Gray netted a two-point jump shot.
The Ravens took back momentum as forward Eddie Ekiyor and guard Yasiin Joseph scored six and eight points, respectively, to help propel their team to a 21-13 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
In the second quarter, the Ravens quickly took a 30-16 lead two minutes in as Osborne and guard Troy Reid-Knight netted three straight three-pointers.
The Ravens left the court with a 41-28 lead over the Gaels by the end of the first half. Osborne led all scorers with 14 points.
Both teams picked up the pace coming into the second half with Gaels guard Jaz Bains converting eight of the team’s 15 third quarter points.
The Ravens continued to hold the lead over the Gaels with Ekiyor, Joseph, and guard Munis Tutu leading the way with a combined 16 points in the quarter. The Ravens entered into the final quarter of play with a 63-43 lead over the Gaels.
Minutes into the fourth quarter, the physicality between both teams intensified as Ravens forward TJ Lall and Gaels forward Harry Range were ejected from the game after getting into an altercation.
“It’s a very intense game—very close game. Tempers are going to flare like that. No one wants to lose, everyone is trying their hardest to win, and it’s just part of the game,” Osborne said.
Queen’s pushed back to get within 17 points of tying the game but the Ravens defence held strong as the Ravens sealed their first playoff victory of the year with a score of 80-63.
With the win, the Ravens now set their focus on the Wilson Cup Semifinals tonight against the Brock University Badgers.
“Just got to prepare for their intensity that they’re going to come out,” Osborne said on Brock’s basketball team. “They got a lot of fifth-year [players] that this could be their last game if they lose. So, just got to be ready for that.”
