Posted: Feb 28, 2025
February 28th - Game 8 MBB Championships
In the highly anticipated semi-final, the Clippers came out flying with #10 Carter Waind getting to the hoop on his first 2 drives. He added a 3 and showed he was ready to compete. #21 Zach Martens added 2 blocked shots, even so the NAIT squad found room for layups and 3's on following possessions and took the lead at 5 minutes 14-11. A minute later and 2 more points for the Ooks, BCA called a time out. #13 Keshon McLeod for the Ooks fought for his missed free throw and tipped it in while fighting for the rebound. #10 Carter Waind swished another pullup jumper. #7 Peter-Aluk Deng for the Ooks and #3 Riley Seaborne BCA traded 3's at the end of the quarter - The Clipper 3 released just as the buzzer sounded. The Clippers trail the Ooks, 28-20. #7 Peter-Aluk Deng had 12 pts and #0 Omar Farah to lead the way for the Ooks with 8 pts, and #10 Carter Waind with 8 for the Clippers.
The 2nd quarter started with #7 Deng for the Ooks making a layup. #0 Farah for the Ooks made an open 3. #1 Francis Dogoni answered with a 3. He then juked in and out, finishing a contested layup plus the and one. #8 Jude Shepherd-Hills drained a 3 at 5 minutes but the Ooks #0 Farah got an easy layup seconds later. Francis responded with 2 free throws and a 3 pt in the next 2 plays drawing within 3 of the Ooks. The Ooks got a back door layup, then BCA's #5 Corbin Gengenbach made a nifty up and under. The Ooks responded with another layup and a 3 extending their lead that had been 3 to 10.
#1 Francis Dogoni drove and dropped in a soft floater, but the Ooks got the ball inside for an easy inside layup on the following play...BCA responded with 2 layups, one off a steal and dunked by #8, Jude Shepard-Hill. The Ooks then got two of their own, one a 3 pt shot and then a dunk. This closed out the half, with the Ooks seeking to upset the #1 ranked Clippers with a commanding 54-43 lead.
Francis Dogoni had other plans, opening the 3rd quarter with an aggressive drive. After a tough few minutes, #3 Riley Seaborn found space for a layup. The Ooks responded with an offensive putback. #10 Carter Waind skied for a putback of his own. #1 Francis Ngoni followed with a deep 3 to bring the Clippers to within 2 points; the crowd went wild!
The Ooks responded with a timeout. #22 Carson Irwin blocked a shot, and #1 Dogoni took advantage with a layup. The Ooks fought back with 2 of their own drives. #14 Patrick Fisher for the Ooks capped off the 3rd quarter with a buzzer-beater tip-in after a missed layup. The Ooks regained the lead up to 70-62.
#10 Carter Waind opened the 4th with 2 buckets, but #0 Omar Farah put in a baseline drive reverse. #3 Riley Seaborne recovered his fumbled drive for an open layup for Clippers. #0 Omar Farah responded with a 3. He then got an open layup on an effective screen.
#10 Carter Waind made a tough corner 3 with 6 minutes left, to bring the Clippers to within 4, but the Ooks responded with a confident drive, as well as a 3 pointer on the next plays. #1 Francis Dogoni had a great reverse drive to answer, then drove in again for a creative finish. He did it again with 3 minutes to go to bring the score to within 2, 82-80 for the Ooks. #10 Waind calmly knocked down 2 free throws to tie it. #14 Patrick Fisher went deep and put the Ooks up again. Clippers' #5 Corbin Gengenbach stole the ball and took it all the way for a tough layup. Then with intense pressure and a scramble, #21 Zach Martens lays it in for the Clippers' first lead since the first quarter with 1 minute remaining. The fans went crazy, getting even louder than before.
With 50 seconds remaining, the Clippers recover a deflected ball, getting it to #10, Waind who drains a triple. #0, Omar Farah shoots a quick 3 to close the gap. The Clippers attempt to use the clock, but failed to hit the rim on the next shot, while they lead by 3. They fouled #0 Farah on his next 3 attempt; #21 Martens is fouled out for the Clippers. #0 Farah made 1 of the 3 free throws. In the ensuing play, #1 Dogoni is fouled, made 1 of 2 free throws, but #3 Seaborn gets the board on the missed shot for the Clippers, made both free throws to seal the game with 5 seconds remaining. Clippers win a nail biter 93-88 in what was a game to remember in the Hangar in Caronport!
Players of the Game
NAIT Ooks - #0 Omar Farah with 32 pts, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals.
Briercrest Clippers #1 Francis Dogoni with 30 pts, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists.