The Humber Hawks men’s basketball team was looking to start off 2024 with a win on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against the Redeemer Royals, who reside in last place in the West Conference.
Before the game, Hawks fifth-year power forward Jamani Barrett said the team is performing well but are having some trouble closing out tight games.
“The team is performing really well so far, we had some hiccups in the road in terms of losing games we shouldn’t have, being in the position to win being up 10, 15 going into the fourth quarter and not being able to seal the victory,” he said.
Humber's Jamani Barrett is about to make a free throw during a weekend game against the Redeemer Royals at Humber College North campus. Photo credit: Nicholas Rego
The Hawks ended up winning the game 92 – 87 against Redeemer. They were able to close out this close game and extend their win streak to three games.
Fourth-year guard Jalen Menzies scored 24 points, making two three-pointers, and getting four steals in 32 minutes of action.
Before the game, Menzies said his first half of the season was good on both ends of the floor, but he is making sure he continues to get better.
“I would say I am playing well defensively and offensively, but I feel like there is a lot of room for improvement,” Menzies said.
“I can definitely shoot the ball more efficiently and most importantly, I want to make sure I am getting my teammates more involved,” he said.
Humber point guard player Jalen Menzies takes a shot at the basket during a weekend game against the Redeemer Royals at Humber College North campus. Photo credit: Nicholas Rego
Entering this game, Redeemer had two wins and nine losses. Their record didn’t show in Saturday’s game, performing well up into the final whistle and gave the Hawks a four-quarter battle.
Third-year power forward Malik Grant said before the game the key to continue winning is defense.
“The only thing we need to focus on is defense,” Grant said. “We got a lot of talent so offense will end up coming naturally, only thing is you need to keep teams under 80 points to have a chance of winning.”
Humber power forward Malik Grant dribbles the basketball between his legs at half court of the floor. Photo credit: Nicholas Rego
The remaining seven games of the season occur in a 30-day span, making the final stretch chaotic and more important than ever.
Grant said to stay ready for all the upcoming games, it’s important for him to take care of his body.
“Using physio to make sure my body is right to ensure that I don’t get injuries,” Grant said.
“It all comes down to taking care of your body,” he said.
Barrett said everyone’s body and durability is different and there are resources available to ensure they stay healthy.
“It’s a day-to-day battle,” Barrett said. “We have a lot of resources at hand for us in terms of our high-performance care facility and also our therapy, so we are very well treated.”
The Hawks hope to extend its winning streak to four games as they face the Conestoga Condors on Jan. 17.
Although it will be a tough stretch of games, Menzies is excited for the challenge.
“This is the best time of year, this is when teams start to play their best basketball because they know there is less room for error,” he said.