WINDSOR

It was a night to remember, a night to relish, savour and celebrate as St. Mike’s basketball capped off one of the most memorable seasons in the school’s long and esteemed hoops history on Wednesday.

It was clinical, exceptional and well-deserved, from the coaching of Jeff Zownir and his staff to the team’s guard play, frontline and its defence.

High-school basketball has seen better overall talent on one team, but what separates the Blue Raiders from past champions is how each player accepts his role.

The backcourt of Nelson Kaputo and Marcus Carr features finesse and strength.

There’s no true post presence, but the team’s bigs can control the glass.

They can also step out and knock shots, Danilo Djuricic and Nicola Paradina virtually unstoppable when open looks are yielded.

There’s a solid wing in Kaion Julien-Grant and an emerging piece in reserve Jahmal Abbey-Wright.

OFSAA gold wasn’t a slam dunk, but it became a coronation for St. Mike’s in the second quarter against the Campion Bears, who couldn’t respond.

In the end, St. Mike’s won 79-59 to capture its second gold in three years, both titles coming in Windsor.

Campion has a lot to be proud of, but it simply ran into a better team in St. Mike’s, the best Canadian basketball has to offer at the high-school level.

It was a proud moment for the Blue Raiders, one of those program-defining runs that will be better appreciated in time.

There was no drama, no sustained stretch that would see both teams take runs at each other, no doubt about the eventual winner.

Many had expected a more competitive game, but that would diminish how proficient, well-coached and decisive the Blue Raiders performed.

A lesson to be learned for Campion, a banner to be raised at St. Mike’s.

A one-point deficit switched to a 15-point advantage, as St. Mike’s used its lethal shooting from beyond the arc on offence, while its zone defence stymied Campion.

A couple of in-game adjustments were the deciding factor in the opening half, including the defensive move by going to a 3-2 zone.

It became pretty apparent the Blue Raiders had their hands fulls containing the dribble, Campion’s explosive ability to attack off the bounce problematic, straight line drives being converted into baskets or penetration leading to draw and kick.

Campion’s only hope was to increase the game’s tempo, but it couldn’t.

When the Bears couldn’t run shooters off the three-point line, St. Mke’s began to find its shooting rhythm, sparked by Paradina’s deadly aim.

The kid can shoot and he’s lethal when he’s setting his feet, catching the ball in rhythm and heaving the rock.

Three after three would drop, St. Mike’s pushing its lead into double digits.

By the half, it was a 42-27 advantage in favour of the Blue Raiders.

Earlier in the day, St. Mike’s poured in 93 points in a semifinal win over Pine Ridge.

The Bears advanced to the championship game after beating Henry Carr.

In the first quarter, Devonte Daniels used the dribble to impose his will, staking Campion to a 15-14 lead after eight minutes of play.

Crowds at OFSAA, which was staging both the quad-A and triple-A draws in Windsor, have been disappointing, and it was a shame that the gym at St. Clair College wasn’t teeming with fans.

Those in attendance added to the atmosphere, especially the hearty fans cheering for St. Mike’s who made their way from Toronto.

When the top-two seeds meet in a championship, drama normally plays out.

But when a zone defence denies penetration and when shots aren’t dropping, leads being to expand.

St. Mike’s ran on each Campion miss, too many easy layups produced and very little resistance provided by the Bears.

After three quarters, St. Mike’s led 63-37, and Campion’s competitive spirit was being tested.

St. Mike’s was in a zone, but it was its zone defence that completely befuddled the Brampton-based Bears.

Campion scored the first basket in the fourth quarter, finally resorting to a full court defence to quicken the pace.

It was of little consolation, the game no longer in question.

PUMAS SEIZE BRONZE

Jordan Henry is as quick as any point guard at the high-school level, fearless when attacking the rim and hard to defend in the open court.

He’s clutch in crunch time, as he was yesterday leading Pickering’s Pine Ridge Pumas to a 56-53 win over the Henry Carr Crusaders in the OFSAA bronze-medal game.

As far as pure basketball goes, it was far from clinical, both teams doing their best to play through the fatigue and disappointment of earlier losses in the semifinal.

The Crusaders punched first, jumping out to a 10-point lead in the opening quarter when Carr’s perimeter shots were dropping.

When completely engaged and well-rested, each side is capable of running up and down the floor and scoring.

It says a lot about the game’s intensity that it took 30 minutes to play the opening half.

The second half wasn’t much better, but the fourth quarter did turn dramatic and contentious when a technical foul was called on Carr. Henry couldn’t be controlled, his penetration drawing fouls, and when he got to the line he buried his free throws.

With 22.9 seconds left in a one-point game, Carr allowed too much clock to run, fouling Henry with 6.6 seconds. Henry calmly converted from the stripe.

And when Marcus Bonnick’s desperate three was blocked by Chase Vassell, the buzzer sounded, sending Carr to its second successive setback in one day. The Crusaders had played for OFSAA gold the past two years, losing to St. Mike’s in overtime and dropping a two-point game to Oakwood last year.

Prior to the bronze tip, London Beal and Eastern Commerce played in the consolation final.

Beal prevailed 65-63 as the once-powerful Eastern Commerce program exits the high-school stage.