RECAP: #3 Men’s basketball wins Wilson Cup over Carleton Ravens

Photo: Greg Kolz
Photo: Greg Kolz
March 5, 2023

It was a Saturday evening of threes for the Gee-Gees men's basketball team.

Entering the Wilson Cup final at the Ravens Nest as the third-ranked team in the country, the Gee-Gees relied on potent three-point shooting to win their third ever Wilson Cup, defeating Carleton by a final score of 79-57.

"We have to enjoy tonight, these are young guys, and this is a huge accomplishment," said Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin. "I mentioned in the locker room that a provincial championship is huge, but we leave on Tuesday [for Nationals]. Remain humble, there's three big games to go."

Ottawa's eye-popping 15 three pointers (15-for-30, 50 percent) was the difference in the game. Carleton could manage just four successful treys on 19 heaves from beyond the arc.

A large contingent of boisterous University of Ottawa supporters made the trek across town, turning the Ravens Nest into a venue resembling historic Montpetit Hall.

"The Gee-Gees fans are the best fans," said Ottawa veteran Guillaume Pépin. "Even though they were maybe a quarter of people in the gym, they were louder. Hearing them scream every single basket made a difference for us in the game."

Ottawa utilized a big second quarter to take control of the game. While the metaphorical lid was on the Ravens basket, the Gee-Gees were clinical from the field, enjoying a 15-3 run and the scoreboard read 35-29 at the half for the Garnet and Grey.

The third quarter might have been the team's more dominant of the season, outscoring Carleton 20-11 to take a stranglehold on the contest. Another strong showing in the fourth wrapped up one of the most complete performances from a Gee-Gees men's basketball squad in recent memory. 

Four Ottawa starters were in double figures. The lone omission was Josh Inkumsah, who grabbed a game-high 14 boards. Pépin was the leading scorer with 19 points, 15 of which came from three-point range. Kevin Otoo wasn't far behind with 17 points, while Dragan Stajic chipped in with 13 points, eight assists and four steals. Otoo was named the Most Valuable Player of the Wilson Cup championship game.

Carleton's star players, Aiden Warnholtz and Grant Sheppard, were held in check by their standards. Warnholtz scored 15 points, while Sheppard managed eight with six rebounds. 

This is Ottawa's first Wilson Cup victory since 2014 when they defeated Carleton 78-77 to take the championship. Their first conference title came in 1993.

Both Ottawa and Carleton now shift their focus to the U SPORTS Men's Basketball National Championship, which begins in Halifax on Friday, Mar. 10. Follow the Gee-Gees on Twitter @GeeGeesMBB for updates on seeding for the championship and the schedule.