With the 2014-15 OCAA playoffs looming, the Niagara College basketball programs will be heading out on their final road trip of the season. Both programs will be looking to pick up four points over the weekend before coming back to Welland to wrap up the regular season.
The women's basketball (9-6, 5th West) program has clinched a playoff spot but their seeding has yet to be determined. The Knights could potentially move into third place by running the table and a Fanshawe (11-5, 3rd West) loss. On the other hand, the Knights could fall to sixth place in the West if they fail to pick up any points.
Unlike the women's program, the men's basketball (6-9, 7th West) program is on the outside looking in. The Knights are only two points back of the final playoff spot but fortunately for them, they control their own destiny. If the Knights can acquire a win over the weekend, they could potentially earn a playoff spot by facing the Sheridan Bruins (7-9, 6th West) in a do-or-die game on the last day of the regular season.
On February 14th, the women's program will start the day off by playing the Lambton Lions (6-10, 7th West) at 2:00pm. When these two teams met in Welland, Niagara came away with a 67-57 victory behind second year forward Mary Ingribelli's (St. Catharines) team-high 13 points. The Lions are winners in three of their last four contests, including a two-game sweep of Cambrian College (1-16, 9th West). Lambton is led offensively by Riley Williams, who is averaging 14.3 points per game.
Immediately after, the men's basketball program will play the Lions (10-6, 4th West). Lambton came away with the win the last time these teams played, winning 88-80. Starting to warm up at the right time, this is a completely different Knights time than the Lions saw earlier in the season. The Lions have won three of their last four and are led offensively by Brandon Padgett, who is averaging 19.5 points per game, good enough for 21 in the CCAA.
With little time to recover, the Knights will head over to St. Clair College to play on Sunday, February 15.
Game one will see the women's program play St. Clair (10-6, 4th West) with tip-off scheduled for 1:00pm. A win in this game could move the Knights into fourth place, as they battle for a first round home playoff game. Earlier in the season, the Knights defeated the Saints 72-64, behind the 12 point 12 rebound effort from first year forward Courtney McPherson (Welland). Both teams will be putting their modest win streaks on the line this week, as Niagara has won four straight and the Saints have won three. St. Clair is led offensively by Shannon Kennedy who is averaging an outstanding 19.1 points per game.
To finish off the road trip, the men's program will play the Saints (6-10, 8th West), a team that has lost five of their last seven games. The Knights defeated St. Clair earlier in the season, blowing them out oat home 96-79. First year forward Delroy Grandison (Kingston, JA) led the Knights in the win, scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds.
For full season standings, statistics, schedules and more please visit: http://www.ocaa.com/landing/index
