The Goulbourn Hornets Major Bantam Boys basketball team capped off a highly successful season by winning gold medals at Basketball Ontario’s Division 3 Provincial Championships. The local team was seeded 5th going into the championships.

    The first game on Friday night was against the Chatham-Kent Wildcats.  The Hornets were lead by Vikas Gill who scored a total of 23 points (13 in the first quarter) while cruising to a 56-43 victory.

     Saturday morning saw the Hornets pitted against the Niagara Heat.  The early morning start didn’t agree with the team.  They fell behind 11-14 at the end of the first quarter.  However, the team put it together in the second quarter and outscored the Heat 18-7, before coasting to a 57-39 win.

     Saturday afternoon promised to be the most challenging game of pool play as the #5 seeded Hornets went up against the #4 seed, Toronto Motion #1.  Sean Stoqua fired up the Hornets early by hitting 3 3-pointers in the first quarter and led the team with 19 points overall.  After defeating the Motion #1 team 54-41 the Hornets finished with a perfect 3-0 in pool play.

     The quarter-final game on Saturday night brought the Hornets up against the #1 seeded Toronto Triple Threat, who had been upset 44-43 in pool play by the Guelph Phoenix.  The Hornets brought out a balanced attack with 5 players scoring in the first quarter and getting to a 27-18 half-time lead.  The Hornets pressure defense and transition game continued to dominate in the second half and eventually gave them a 54-40 victory.  This win moved the Hornets forward to the semi-final game Sunday against the Guelph Phoenix.

     The Hornets had played the Phoenix team one other time this season squeezing out a slim 5-point victory.   The first quarter was once again very flat for the Hornets and they fell behind by 2 points.  The second quarter was a different story as the Hornets outscored Guelph 19-8 to take a 22-13 lead into half-time.  The Hornets guards continued to pressure the Guelph guards forcing them into numerous turnovers.  The Goulbourn Hornets cruised to a 47-35 victory.

     Finally, it was off to the championship game against the Ancaster Magic #1 team.  This powerhouse team from Hamilton had beaten the Hornets by 7 points in their only other meeting this season; however the Hornets were determined to reverse their fortunes this time around.  The team came out blazing and built an early 11-5 lead in the first quarter and by half-time the score was 24-13 in favour of the Hornets.  As expected, Ancaster came back in the second half hitting 4 3-pointers (3 in the 4^th quarter) to bring it to within 2 points with just over a minute left in the game.  However, Craig Peloso went 5 for 7 from the free-throw line as the Hornets closed out the victory 47-42.  With a 6-0 game record the Goulbourn Hornets Major Bantam boy’s basketball team became the 2007 Ontario Cup Gold Medal Champions.

     After 65 practices and 64 games this season, the Hornets achieved their goal of winning a provincial championship.  It was the culmination of a season of hard work, dedication, and commitment to team success over individual success.  The dedication of all the players to develop their individual playing skills as well as their team offense and team defense skills was outstanding.  There were a total of 26 missed practices all season.  Two players, Bradley Farish and Peter O’Heron, made it out to every one of the regular team practices.

     Special thanks to Cathy Farish for once again doing an outstanding job as our team manager this season.  Also, a big thanks to our incredibly dedicated coaching staff … Brian MacNeill, Herb O’Heron and Jordan Lutes.

Major Bantam #1 Hornets Win Gold!

     The Goulbourn Hornets Major Bantam #1 Boys’ team brings home Gold Medals from the Eastern Ontario Basketball Association Championships held April 15, 2007 in Cornwall. The team, seeded in Division 1, went undefeated and were declared the 2007 EOBA Champions.

     The Hornets met the Cornwall Lions in their first game. Both teams got off to a slow start and by half time the game was 15 to 8 for the Hornets. In the second half, the teams came out with more energy and the Hornets went on to defeat their opponents 48 to 36.

     The next game saw the Hornets matched up against the Gloucester Wolverines #1 team. With solid offensive and defensive playing, the Hornets built a strong lead at 26 to 9 after the first quarter. The Hornets continued to dominate throughout the game and never gave up the lead, eventually securing a 76 to 61 victory.

     The Goulbourn team then advanced to the gold medal game against the Hull Dragons # 1 team, who were seeded number one in the division. The teams had met several times during the regular season and both teams were determined to win the game.

     The Hornets came out strong again in the first quarter and outscored Hull by 17 points, giving them a 21 to 4 lead. The team continued to dominate the game and with their offensive plays they managed to build a 42 to 19 lead by half time. All players stepped up their level of play throughout the game, and with their strong playing at both ends of the floor the Hornets won 67 to 48. The Goulbourn Hornets were awarded Gold Medals and became the 2007 EOBA Champions, ending their season with a record of 53 wins and 12 losses.

      Bronze Medal Champions for Goulbourn’s Major Bantam #1 team

The Hornets #1 Major Bantam team returned home with Bronze Medals after traveling to Hamilton on March 30 to April 1, 2007 for the Blessed Sacrament AAA Tournament, which saw 112 teams participating from across Ontario.

     In their opening game Friday evening, the Hornets faced the Brampton Blue Devils #1 team, who they played previously in the season, with each team winning once. As expected, this was an intense game with both teams knowing the importance of a win early in the tournament. The Hornets pressure defense was especially strong in the second half as they began to make critical stops and transition into lay-ups at the other end. Brampton tried to get close by fouling and sending the Hornets to the line. However, the Hornets shot over 70% from the free throw line in the second half to seal the victory 56-45.

     On Saturday, the Hornets first game in round robin play was against the Mississauga Wolverines. The Hornets had a slow start and numerous turnovers during the first half but managed to hang on to a 29-26 lead by halftime. During the third quarter the Wolverines outscored the Hornets and led 44-38. Play was tight in the final quarter and the score was back and forth, but the Hornets secured a 57-54 victory. Next the Hornets took on the London Ramblers, who were ranked third in the province, and after the first quarter the teams were tied with 12 points. By halftime London had taken the lead 27-20. In the second half the Hornets continued to struggle against London’s zone defence and were eventually defeated 56-31.

     With a 2-1 game record, the Hornets finished second in their pool, bringing them to the semi-final game against Ancaster Magic #1, who finished first in their pool with a 3-0 record. The Hornets came out flat early in the game and found themselves down 20-14 by halftime. During the second half the team continued to have troubles and could never pull ahead. In the end the Hornets were defeated 52-45, bringing them to the bronze medal game against the Mississauga Monarchs.

     At Sunday’s championship game, both teams came out determined to win and after the first and second quarters the teams were tied at 10 and 18 points, respectively. In the third quarter, the Hornets took the lead and outscored their opponents 16-9, giving them a 34-27 lead. The team’s continued energy and strong team playing eventually gave them a 51-39 victory and the Bronze medal.

     The team has had an outstanding season and currently has a record of 44 wins and 12 losses. The Hornets will be continuing to work hard over the next few weeks before traveling to London, Ontario on April 20-22, 2007 for Basketball Ontario’s Provincial Championships.

 
Hornet’s Major Bantam #1 team Win Bronze Medals
at Brampton’s AAA tournament

     In their first game Friday evening against the Guelph Phoenix #1, the Hornets came out strong and built an early lead at 20-7 after the first quarter. Guelph quickly came back and outscored the Hornets 18-6 in the second quarter, leaving the game 26-25 for the Hornets at half time. In the second half both teams played strong but the Hornets managed to hang on to defeat the Phoenix #1 team 59-54.

     On the Saturday afternoon, the Hornets took on the Etobicoke Thunder and again they started strong and got an early lead at 22-16 by half time. The Hornets intensity and dominance continued throughout the third quarter with the team outscoring their opponents 12-9. In the final minutes of the game, Etobicoke found themselves in foul trouble and the Hornets were successful in capitalizing on their foul shots, eventually defeating their opponents 51-37.

     In their second game Saturday, the Hornets came up against the host team the Brampton Blue Devils #1, who were a tournament favourite. The Hornets determination and energy gave them an 8-3 lead after the first quarter, and by half time the Hornets led the game 20-17. In the third quarter, the Blue Devils came out strong and took control of the game, outscoring the Hornets 19-10 and giving them a 36-30 lead. The Hornets came back strong in the last quarter and outscored their opponents, but in the end they couldn’t hang on and were eventually defeated 54-49.

     With a 2-1 record in their pool, the Hornets earned a spot in Sunday’s semi-final round and were matched up against the Toronto 5-0 team, who were undefeated in their pool. The Hornets got off to a bad start and at the end of the first quarter they were outscored 25-8. The team re-grouped and was determined not to be intimidated by the Toronto team and outscored them 12-11 and 14-10 in the second and third quarters. Unfortunately, the Hornets found themselves in trouble in the last quarter and were eventually defeated 75-44, which brought them to the bronze medal championship game against the Brampton Blue Devils #1 team.

     After their earlier lose to the Blue Devils the Hornets were more determined and with their outstanding performance they took an early lead in the game at 21-11 after the first quarter. The Blue Devils, who were determined to take back the game, dominated throughout the next two quarters, leaving the game at 42-39 for the Blue Devils at the end of the third. With increased determination, excellent defencive playing and 11 free throw points the Hornets outscored their opponents 25-12, giving them a 64-53 game victory and the Bronze Medal championship.

     This was a tremendous team victory and every player raised their level of play throughout the tournament, and with a 28-5 record, the team has been enjoying their outstanding success this season.

 
Goulbourn Hornets #1 Team Win Silver Medals
at the Chris Paulin Tournament

     The Goulbourn Hornets Major Bantam AA team win silver medals after competing in the Chris Paulin Memorial Tournament, which was held in Kanata on December 1-3, 2006. The tournament hosted over 50 teams from all over Ontario and Quebec.

     In their opening game Friday night, the Hornets were pitted against a strong team from Brebeuf College who appeared caught off guard after traveling from Montreal. The Hornets jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead, which was stretched to 16-6 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Brebeuf came out strong and outscored the Hornets 17-7, making the game tied at 23 at the half. Brebeuf continued to dominate in the third quarter and took a 38-34 lead, but the Hornets rallied together and kicked into gear in the last quarter outscoring the visitors 24-15 and eventually winning 58-53.

     In the first game Saturday morning, the Hornets took to the court against the Osgoode-Rideau Bedrock team. The Hornets stretched a 4 point half time lead and dominated the second half of the game, defeating their opponents 59-32.

     Saturday afternoon’s game saw the Hornets play against the tournament host team … the Kanata Cavaliers. The Hornets took a 13 point half time lead and rode it to a 59-47 victory.

     At 3-0, the Hornets finished first in their pool and advanced to the semi-final game Sunday morning against the Hull Dragons #1 team. The Hornets came out eager to put the game away early and jumped to a 21-6 first quarter lead. The team continued to dominate throughout the game and finished on top, 59-36.

     This brought the Hornets to the gold medal game against their league rivals the Ottawa Celtics. This would be the third meeting this season that these teams had with each other, with each team winning once. Both teams played great defense in the first quarter with the Celtics taking an 8-6 lead. The Hornets dominated the second quarter with suffocating defensive rotations, particularly against the Celtics post players. The Celtics scored only 4 points in the second quarter as the Hornets took a 20-12 lead by half-time. The Celtics came out in the second half determined to get the ball inside and they were successful early, getting the score to 29-28 for the Hornets by the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter both teams played strong and the game was back and forth leaving the game tied at 39 with only 12 seconds remaining. The Celtics brought the ball down the floor quickly and were successful in hitting a baseline “3”. Unfortunately, the Hornets last desperation shot fell short and the Celtics won 42-39, making the Hornets the Silver Medal Champions.