BIBLE HILL, N.S. – The Holland College Hurricanes grip ahold of the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) men’s basketball banner is firm.
They won their sixth straight conference title Sunday in Bible Hill, N.S., with a 100-64 victory over the Crandall Chargers.
“It’s interesting to say six in a row, but for some guys it’s two in a row,” head coach Josh Whitty said, noting the high turnover on the team with the college’s two-year programs.
The Chargers were playing their third game in as many days while the Hurricanes had the bye into Saturday’s semifinal. Holland College was a deeper and more rested club.
“I certainly thought that played a factor into the outcome of the game,” Whitty said. “Our guys played well. We played really unselfishly, we rebounded really well, got out and ran in transition.”
Roosevelt (Chicken) Whyley led the attack with 25 points and 15 rebounds.
Whitty said it came after the versatile forward had an off-day, by his standards, in the semifinal win.
“I said to him coming off the bus this morning, ‘Well, look Chick, you never played two bad ones in a row, so we’re expecting big things here today’,” Whitty joked Sunday night. “He did a great job.”
He explained Michael-Ange Kayeye passed Whyley the ball on a 2-on-0 early in the game and Whyley threw down an impressive dunk.
“That really got us rolling,” Whitty said.
Chase Bowden had 15 rebounds, 10 points, five assists, three blocks and a steal. Kayeye and Marcus Dawkins each scored 14 points while Jace Colley chipped in 11.
Bowden completed his ACAA career by winning his fifth conference banner. He was part of the college’s first conference triumph and has been big pieces of each of the teams since except for one when he was not enrolled at Holland College. He is one of the rare players to be able to complete the sweep during his five-year career.
Umbori Watson and Trey David each scored 14 in the loss.
The Hurricanes expect to know Tuesday who they will face in the opening match of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship in Laval, Que., from March 14-17. The Hurricanes have two fifth-place finishes, a pair of thirds and a second from their five trips to nationals.
