Powered by a season-high defensive performance and another high-scoring outing, the Carleton Ravens men’s basketball team nearly doubled the Waterloo Warriors en route to a commanding 93-49 win on Saturday.
The win marks the squad’s second straight 90-plus point outing and their fourth consecutive victory, helping them maintain their hold on first place in the OUA East.
“Pleased about the result, we got some really good contributions,” head coach Taffe Charles said after the game. “I thought we played well this weekend — we shot the ball much better than we’ve been shooting at home.”
Unlike their high-flying start to their dominant 97-73 win over the Laurier Golden Hawks the night before, the Ravens started slow on Saturday. On the other side, Waterloo entered the game hot off an upset victory over the uOttawa Gee-Gees, looking to take down both teams in the nation’s capital.
The opening minutes plagued the Ravens with fouls and turnovers, putting them behind early. Multiple stoppages slowed the pace, which ultimately helped prevent the game from slipping away from them right away.
Halfway through the first quarter, the Ravens regained their stride with a 15-0 run and didn’t look back.
“We played as a team, connected for the whole 40 minutes,” guard Aubrey Dorey-Havens said after the game. “[Waterloo] won a good game last night, but we came in with a game plan and just communicated really well with each other.”
The Ravens’ recipe of playing bigger and more defensively this season has proven effective. Through their first seven games, they’re grabbing over 45 boards per outing and allowing only 61 points per game — leading the OUA in both categories.
Saturday was no different.
The Ravens controlled the court like Magneto, pulling in rebounds and steals on both ends of the floor. They finished with a season-high 37 defensive rebounds and nine steals in the win, a cornerstone of the Ravens’ system.
“We put together our best defensive performance this season for sure,” Dorey-Havens said.
The Ravens held the Warriors to no more than 14 points in any quarter, allowing just nine in the final frame.
While their defensive lockdown was crucial, the Ravens also backed it up on the offensive end. Their 56 per cent shooting — including 50 per cent from beyond the arc — powered them to another high-scoring performance.
The Ravens scored by committee on Saturday, with four players reaching double digits and three more finishing with nine points.
For veteran Dorey-Havens, who’s seen his share of blowouts during his time with the Ravens, staying locked in comes from focusing on playing smart, playing for his teammates — especially when the margins widen and the bench starts to relax late in games.
“It’s easy to become complacent when you’re up by so much,” he said. “But knowing that we have bigger goals ahead too, I don’t want to make mistakes and let my team down.”
In front of his family, Dorey-Havens led the offense with a team-high 17 points. He also added eight rebounds and a team-high six assists. His twin sister was visiting Ottawa for the first time and attended the game with their father and other sister.
“I had to play well this weekend,” he said after the game. “I haven’t seen them in a long time, so it’s awesome.”
Another highlight performance for the Ravens came from rookie Tyler Brown, who knocked down three consecutive threes in his nine-point performance. Brown played a career-high 19 minutes and earned his flowers from his coach for his play this weekend.
“He had great games this weekend, and hopefully, he continues,” Charles said. “You play some young guys early, then at the end of the year, you’re going to have some veterans.”
The Ravens are turning their attention to Capital Hoops preview, where they’ll face their crosstown rival Gee-Gees in their only game of the weekend. After three consecutive “double game” weekends, the team will take the court just once on Saturday night.
Charles’s game plan hasn’t changed.
“We’re not doing anything different,” he said. “There’s a lot within the city to try and win that one.”
Featured image by Simon McKeown/the Charlatan
