CapU Blues sports info
With the top-ranked team in the country on the ropes, the Capilano Blues couldn't quite find the knockout punch to put away the Humber Hawks, falling 86-81 on day one at the CCAA National Championship.
A made jumper by Ajaypal Hayer and a layup from Arshya Ghasemi put the Blues up by five with five minutes to go but Capilano would get stuck on 75 points for the next four minutes while Humber went on a 16-6 run to close out the game and grab the win.
Kash Lang, Ghasemi and Hayer each hit from the three-point line in the opening quarter to put CapU up five after 10 minutes. Ghasemi would hit two more triples in the second quarter on his way to a game-high 21 points in 23 minutes off the bench.
A layup from Ahmad Athman put Capilano up 13 at the three-minute mark of the second quarter but Humber dug in and went on a 13-3 run over the next four minutes, making it 47-43 for the Blues at halftime.
The teams traded buckets throughout the third quarter with CapU maintaining its four-point edge heading to the final frame. Malik Grant keyed the Hawks comeback, scoring seven of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter while also grabbing four of his team-best nine boards. Humber took the lead for good on a Taujh Motiki-Stephen layup with three minutes to go. Lang hit a three with 38 seconds remaining, making it 81-81 but Humber salted the game away at the free-throw line from there.
The Blues held a lead after each quarter except the end. Lengthy scoring droughts in the second and fourth quarters allowed Humber to hang around.
Lang was named Blues Player of the Game, posting 17 points and seven rebounds while playing all but one minute of the game.
It was the third time the Blues and Hawks have met in the opening day of the CCAA Nationals and Humber is now 3-0 against Capilano.
CapU can still finish on the CCAA podium if they win their remaining games. They play at Noon Pacific time on Thursday against the Briercrest College Clippers of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
