Moments before the final buzzer in a 64-64 game on Jan. 31 between the Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team and the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, Ontario Tech’s Zubair Seyed sunk a heartbreaking buzzer-beater in a desperate jump shot, securing the win for the Ridgebacks.
The Ridgebacks handed Carleton a 66-64 loss — the Ravens’ fourth of the season — following a back-and-forth battle where the final four minutes saw the lead exchange four times.
Ravens head coach Taffe Charles called it one of the team’s worst losses of the year and criticized their inability to capitalize on chances toward the end of the fourth quarter.
“We got a bit more focused in the third quarter, did some good things, but then again, when it comes down to it, we just didn’t make plays at the end,” Charles said.
“The better team did win tonight. Unfortunately, we weren’t it.”
The Ridgebacks jumped to an 8-2 lead within the game’s first three minutes and looked dominant on both ends of the floor, forcing five turnovers before Charles called a timeout midway through the first quarter.
“It’s my responsibility to get these guys to go,” Charles said. “They weren’t ready to play basketball from the jump.”
It was definitely a slower start than the Ravens are used to. In their previous matchup — a 90-45 blowout against the Nipissing Lakers on Jan. 25 — Carleton took a 14-2 lead within just four minutes.
The timeout energized the Ravens as they cut the deficit to two by the end of the first quarter, trailing 16-14.
The Ridgebacks held onto their lead for most of the second quarter, but the Ravens ignited a spark off the bench from Nelson Cilien, who scored eight points to give Carleton its first lead of the game with two minutes left in the quarter.
However, the lead didn’t last long, as Seyed capitalized on a couple of free throw attempts, giving Ontario Tech a 32-29 lead by the half.
Seyed, who leads his team in points, finished the game with 21 and has now hit double digits in four straight contests.
The Ravens started looking dangerous from behind the arc in the third quarter, with guard Xavier Spencer quickly tying the game with a three, followed by a dominant display from Aubrey Dorey-Havens and Daniel Smith.
Dorey-Havens started things off with back-to-back three-pointers before Smith took over, scoring three straight from deep to help Carleton post 25 points in the quarter against the Ridgebacks’ 13.
“Feels good that I can do this for my team,” Smith said. “Hit shots, important shots, they’re getting me, they’re finding me.”
Smith went perfect from distance, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.
Carleton went into the final quarter leading 54-45, but the Ridgebacks managed to overcome the deficit and complete a comeback by the buzzer.
“It’s a very disciplined loss,” Charles said. “So obviously, we just got to figure out a way to get back into this fix.
“We didn’t show up to play for the full 40 minutes. We played in spurts.”
The Ravens faced another divisional rival in the second half of the back-to-back weekend at home, bouncing back for a 92-72 win over the East Division second-place Queen’s Gaels on Feb. 1.
Carleton will then look ahead to the annual Capital Hoops Classic at TD Place Arena on Feb. 7 against the rival uOttawa Gee-Gees.
Featured photo by Charles Fortin.
