The men’s basketball game at the 2014 MBNA Capital Hoops Classic may have captured the usual atmosphere of the annual event, but the game itself was not as close as local basketball fans have grown used to seeing.
The Carleton Ravens won the game by a score of 82-58, marking the seventh straight year the team has beaten its cross-town rivals, the University of Ottawa (U of O) Gee-Gees, in the Cap Hoops game.
“I think defensively we played very well in the first half and did some really good things in terms of getting them to do the things we wanted them to do,” Ravens head coach Dave Smart said. “We were a little soft in the third quarter, but they were also very aggressive and they came out after us, and they’re a great team.”
The Ravens started off the first quarter strong by opening the game with a 7-0 run and holding the Gee-Gees without any points until the 6:34 mark of the quarter. The Ravens led 22-11 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw much of the same Carleton domination, with the Ravens riding a stretch of 19 straight points towards the end of the frame to extend their lead to 48-23 at halftime.
[slideshow gallery_id=”6″]Fourth-year Ravens guard Philip Scrubb was the only player in the game to play all 20 minutes in the first half.
He said his team played extremely well to have a 25-point lead at halftime.
“We were hitting shots and we defended really well, but there was definitely kind of a letdown in the third quarter and that’s something we’ve got to improve,” he said.
U of O started showing signs of life early in the second half, controlling the play for most of the time in the third quarter to make the score 61-46.
The fourth and final quarter put a merciful end to the game, with the Ravens noticeably slowing the play down to knock the Gee-Gees off their rhythm.
After the game, Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin said he was shocked by his team’s performance.
“I’m not really sure what the case was there to start the game,” he said. “We haven’t played like that all year in terms of looking nervous and shaky.”
Carleton’s Tyson Hinz, playing in his final Capital Hoops Classic, said he tried not to think about it being his last time playing in this annual event.
“It’s a great crowd always, it’s good for the community, it’s a ton of fun to compete against a really good team, and I’m sure we’ll see them again,” he said. “I’m excited for every game. I try not to get all emotional about the last games.”
The Ravens improved their record on the season to 14-0, with two of those wins coming against the Gee-Gees.
Next up, the Ravens will take on the Queen’s University Gaels and the York University Lions Jan. 24-25 at the Ravens’ Nest.
Scrubb said beating a team like U of O twice will help their team’s confidence going forward.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but there are some other teams out there that are really good,” he said.
