Posted: Mar 01, 2025
March 1 - Game 10 MBB Championship
It was an offensive slugfest as the NAIT Ooks tipped off against the St. Mary's University Lightning in the bronze medal matchup of the 2024/2025 ACAC basketball playoffs.
If you took your time finding a seat in the packed Margaret P. Reimer gymnasium you would have missed a flurry of early baskets as the teams raced up and down the court trading points. NAIT's Peter Kugba-Nyande lifted some fans out of their seats with a slam dunk, answered right back by St. Mary's Caleb Jipp with a long three. The Lightning closed out the first quarter holding a 25-18 lead.
The offensive fireworks intensified in the second, punctuated by long three-pointers from St. Mary's Pelumi Ajayi and NAIT's Patrick Fisher. Antonio Benjamin and Omar Farah made great plays to knock down baskets for the Ooks, but Josh Castro and CJ Peters drained markers of their own as the Lightning stubbornly maintained an 8-to-10 point lead. The teams went into halftime with St. Mary's holding a 54-42 advantage.
Third quarter action featured a massive stuff-block by Farah as the Ooks tried desperately to cut into the Lightning lead. They managed to string together consecutive baskets and narrowed the lead to five, forcing a time out as St. Mary's sought to dampen NAIT's momentum. The coach's pep talk seemed to take immediate effect and they quickly regained a more comfortable cushion.
In the fourth, St. Mary's put the game out of reach with a crushing 10-2 run. Jipp led the way with some clutch threes and gorgeous assists despite being constantly double-teamed. Patrick Fisher and Cameron Knisely responded with some points in the paint, but it wasn't enough as the Lightning cruised to a 105-97 win to capture the bronze. Players of the game were NAIT's Peter Kugba-Nyande with 14 points and 6 rebounds, and St. Mary's Caleb Jipp with 32 points.