The last weekend of back-to-back games was extremely successful for the Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team, who earned two hard-fought victories against the Toronto Varsity Blues and the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold Feb. 9 and 10, respectively at the Ravens’ Nest.
Following a disappointing loss to cross-town rival uOttawa Gee-Gees, Carleton responded perfectly. Their physicality and team-oriented scoring ability allowed them to thrive against stiff competition.
In their final regular season home games, Carleton gained major momentum, which they will certainly look to keep rolling next weekend in their final two games of the season before playoff action.
Feb. 9: Ravens silence Varsity Blues
The first quarter against Toronto began at a lightning pace, with both teams coming into the weekend amped and prepared.
Toronto showed their defensive prowess early on, with Carleton banging on the door through their efficient offensive play. Carleton impressed with their ability to capitalize on hectic and uncoordinated moments throughout the game.
The Ravens’ main adversary was Varsity Blues guard Callum Baker, who led scoring with 30 points by the end of the night. His natural scoring ability pushed the pace of the match.
The second quarter opened with Carleton leading 28-25 and looking to extend their lead before halftime.
The offence-starved Varsity Blues faced a drawback losing Toronto forward Lennart Weber, who ended the night early following a leg injury.
With Toronto missing easy shots, Carleton imposed their will. Ravens reserve guard Wazir Latiff was a notable figure in this match. His 10 first-half points allowed Carleton’s balanced offence to flow smoothly through the game and gave Carleton a 49-43 lead as the game transitioned to the latter half.
The third quarter took a while to get cracking, as a scoreless opening five minutes for Carleton threatened their lead.
Baker continued to stress the Ravens’ defence as their lead continued to narrow.
Latiff’s play off the bench propelled Carleton forward as they found their legs.
An end-of-quarter buzzer beater from Ravens guard Xavier Spencer swung the momentum fully back into Carleton’s favor, sending the Nest into a frenzy and extending Carleton’s lead to 10 points.
The home squad benefited from a slow and low-scoring fourth quarter, as the Ravens were never truly concerned about a Toronto comeback.
The first game of the weekend concluded with a final score of 82-70, boosting Carleton’s record to 11-8.
Carleton forward Augustas Brazdeikis was as consistent as ever for the Ravens, contributing his talent by scoring points and rebounding. He finished the match with 14 points, matching his 14 rebounds.
His play was impressive and much needed as Spencer had a difficult night hitting shots at a steady rate. Brazdeikis led a balanced Carleton attack, with five players scoring double-digit points.
Feb. 10: Bold
On Saturday, both teams put in significant defensive effort as the matchup against the TMU Bold opened at a slightly slower pace.
Ravens guard Marjok Okado displayed early in the game that he was going to have the hot hand. His offensive skills were on full display as he shone throughout the first quarter with his ball handling and three-point shooting.
Another noticeable trend was Carleton absolutely owning the offensive glass, earning a plethora of valuable second-chance points. Carleton led the first quarter 16-13 on the scoresheet, but visually appeared far more dominant.
“We’ve consistently been a very good rebounding team,” Ravens head coach Taffe Charles said. “We’ve outrebounded teams pretty much every game all year. Just taking care of the basketball, we get a lot of extra opportunities.”
Carleton led TMU 29-10 in rebounds at the end of the first half, along with a whopping 12-2 offensive rebound advantage. While this was a massive boost to their game, Carleton was plagued with a significant amount of turnovers due to TMU’s strong defence.
As a result, a strong first half from Carleton only yielded a five-point lead heading into halftime with a score of 35-30.
Okado continued to lead Carleton in scoring entering the second half. He finished the game with 20 points, four rebounds and four assists. This offence was especially needed in light of star guard Spencer struggling to score at his normal volume. While his struggles appeared unfounded from the outside, Charles attributed his issues to injury.
Despite the injury, Spencer still showed up, and the Carleton squad certainly picked up the slack.
The fourth quarter was less entertaining, a problem Carleton was happy to have. Their ability to remain consistent in back-to-back games and never allow the opposition to come within striking distance was impressive.
Okado and Brazdeikis handled business on the offensive end, working together masterfully to prevent any slippages in their offensive efficiency. This frustrated TMU to no end, who seemed dejected by the end of the match. Combined with overall solid team defence, the Ravens notched their second win in as many days, defeating the Bold 77-56.
Eyes now shift to the final two games of the regular season, both of which will take place on the road.
A Feb. 16 matchup against a strong Ontario Tech Ridgebacks team is next on deck, followed by a meeting with the Queen’s Gaels Feb. 17. Now boasting a 12-8 record, Carleton will look to gain more confidence before playoff time.
Featured image by Anya Swettenham/The Charlatan.
