The Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team won their 17th consecutive House-Laughton tournament, with victories over the Bishop’s Gaiters, the Laval Rouge et Or and the Acadia Axemen from Oct. 13-16 at the Raven’s Nest.
The Ravens opened with a 95-59 victory over Bishop’s as Carleton guard Yasiin Joseph led both teams with 20 points and seven assists.
The home team got off to an early start as Joseph hit a three-pointer and followed that up by going coast-to-coast after a steal, making the game 15-4 early on. The Carleton team continued to dominate throughout the first, outscoring the Gaiters 28-15.
The Ravens played an aggressive game, pressing the Gaiters on both ends of the court. Carleton’s defence forced 27 turnovers, including 16 steals, throughout the game.
Joseph said the team runs a defensive philosophy called “31,” a mix of zone and man defence.
“It’s a trap essentially so you force them sideline,” he said.
The Ravens extended their lead in the second half with more steals and strong team play as Carleton had 21 assists compared to Bishop’s seven.
Cam Smythe hit a baseline jumper and Stanley Mayambo found Eddie Ekiyor for a layup to push the lead to 60-35 halfway through the third.
“We played hard for most of the game but there were lapses where we weren’t trying,” Joseph said. “It’s on us, so hopefully for the next game we’ll get better.”
In their 88-42 victory against Laval, both teams got off to a slow start offensively, with Carleton leading only 13-8 after the first quarter.
In the second, the Ravens went on a dominant 20-0 scoring run, extending the lead to 33-8.
Joseph, who led both teams with 10 assists, found forward TJ Lall for more than one basket. He also passed to guard Munis Tutu on the fast break off a defensive steal. Ekiyor’s power near the basket showed again as his layup put the Ravens up 40-15 going into halftime.
Carleton started the second half scoring on three straight possessions as the game opened up offensively for both teams.
Joseph passed to a cutting Ekiyor for back-to-back dunks, leading to loud cheers with the score at 54-21 midway through the third. The lead continued to grow from there while the Carleton team began to work on their defensive game.
“Working as a team, all five guys working on one guy. We just have to zone up and rebounding is key,” forward Marcus Anderson said.
Anderson, who had five points and two steals, noted he needed to improve his shooting.
“I just got to stay focused. Sometimes I lose focus in the game and I’m not cueing in on certain stuff I need to be cueing on,” he said.
Anderson played better offensively in their 70-54 win over Acadia, leading the team with 19 points. Acadia forward Erik Nissen’s 28 points kept the Axemen close as they outscored Carleton 18-15 in the second quarter.
Acadia stayed close on Carleton’s heels as the offensive battle heated up. Going into the fourth quarter the Axemen only trailed 49-41. Ekiyor responded to this pressure by putting up six points and putting the game out of Acadia’s reach, giving the Ravens the 70-54 win.
Smythe was named tournament MVP as he averaged 11 points and 10 rebounds per game. Joseph had another solid game against the Axemen with 13 points and three assists.
Despite limited playing time last year, Joseph credited discipline for his improvement, as he worked on his shot and defence.
“I started coming to the gym more,” he said. “I started getting a routine in the morning, focusing on my stuff.”
The Ravens will travel to the United States to take on five National Collegiate Athletic Association schools, starting with the Boston University Terriers on Oct. 21. They then start the regular season at home against the Guelph Gryphons on Nov. 3.
Photo by Dan Robertson
