Sam’s the Man

 

 

 

It was a dream come true for St. Francis’ Sam Braithwaite to win MVP honours at the 57th Annual Standard High School Basketball Tournament.

“It’s my third year so in my last year I am glad that I got the MVP,” the 6-foot-4 Grade 12 guard said. “Obviously it is team first just to win the tournament but, I guess, MVP is an award you go for after that.”

The 17-year-old has no plans to return for a 12B year and he leaves high school as a three-time winner of the Standard tournament. Winning is a big deal for Brathwaite and St. Francis.

“It’s pretty much the hype in the school, how long it had been going for and all the tradition,” he said.

Braithwaite averaged 15.5 points a game in the tournament but saved his best for the championship game, In the 77-49 victory over Blessed Trinity, he earned player of the game honours with a game-high, 23-point performance.

“During the early games, it is easy with our team because we have so many threats that I can give it to anyone and anyone can have a 30-point game, like Sacade (Kasamba) or Igor (M’Baya),” he said. “Tonight, it was me.”

St. Francis head coach Jon Marcheterre describes Braithwaite as a wonderfully talented player.

“While he doesn’t do a lot of talking in practice or in the room, he knows how to step up for the big games and that’s what we have become accustomed to,” he said. “He inched his way through some of the earlier games, but he knows how to turn it on when we need him and when we need that big statement game.”

“He is our go to guy and it’s very difficult to find someone who brings more to the table than Sam.”

Braithwaite put an exclamation point on his MVP award with a drive up the middle and a slam dunk late in the championship game.

“It has been an exciting early part of the season for us with guys who can finally do that, but that was a big exclamation mark on his four years at St. Francis,” Marcheterre said. “I hope there is another one (year) after, but it was an excellent way to punctuate this Standard tournament and I couldn’t be happier for him and the entire team.”

Braithwaite hasn’t spoken to any universities yet but wants to play basketball at the post secondary level.

“I have to work on my intensity and quickness,” he said.

Joining Braithwaite on the first all-star team were M’Baya and Kasamba from St. Francis and Filip Gagacev and Noah Monteforte from Blessed Trinity.

M’Baya, a 5-foot-10 Grade 12 guard, averaged 18 points a game in the tournament, and poured in 20 in the championship game versus Blessed Trinity.

“Igor is the steadying force for the team and he is the guy that steers the ship,” Marcheterre said. “Sam powers it but Igor steers it and makes sure guys are where they need to be.

“Sam and Igor are tremendous assets for this team.”

Kasamba, a six-foot Grade 10 guard, averaged 15 points in the tournament, including 30 in the semifinal win over the Centennial Cougars.

“He is blessed with all kinds of talent and athletic ability and we are seeing the beginning of what he is going to be,” Marcheterre said. “He scored 30 last (Thursday) night in the semi and he brings a lot to the table defensively.”

Kasamba is an emotional leader.

“He is the fire under most of these guys,” he said. “We have so many mild-mannered Grade 12s and when it’s the Grade 10 kid bringing the fire, that is something special.

“When he gets a little more control and reins his emotions in, he is going to be a player like no other.”

Gagacev, a 6-foot-3 Grade 12 forward, averaged 13.7 points a game in the tournament and scored a team-high 16 in the championship game loss to St. Francis.

“Filip has been an excellent addition to this team,” BT coach Gabe Diadamo said. “He has a really positive attitude and is an extremely hard worker and a very smart player.”

Gagacev transferred to Blessed Trinity from Cardinal Newman.

“When I heard that there was a baller coming to us, I was optimistic,” Diadamo said. “Then when I saw him play, I was very excited.”

Monteforte, a 6-foot-4 Grade 11 forward, averaged 12.5 points a game in the tournament, and netted 14 points in the championship game loss to St. Francis.

“Noah has been a staple in the area for a long time and I think most people in the basketball community know who he is,” Diadamo said. “He is a big, dominant guy inside who has a nice touch outside too.

“He is another hard worker who just loves basketball.”

Named to the second all-star team were: Governor Simcoe’s Darren Johnston; Eden’s Luke Reinaerts; Centennial’s Reese Radobenko; and, St. Francis’ Nick Hoggan and Quinton Duemo.

Johnston, a 5-10 Grade 12 guard, averaged 14 points a game in the tournament and had a team-high 16 points in Simcoe’s semifinal loss to Blessed Trinity.

Reinaerts, a six-foot Grade 11 player, averaged 19.7 points a game in the tournament, including earning player of the game with honours with 31 points in Eden’s 67-47 victory over Greater Fort Erie in the consolation final.

Radobenko, a 5-foot-11 Grade 12 guard, averaged 22.7 points a game, including 21 in Centennial’s semifinal loss to St. Francis.

Hoggan, a 6-foot-2 Grade 12 guard, averaged nine points a game in the tournament and scored nine in the championship game.

Duemo, a six-foot Grade 11 guard, played strong defence throughout the tournament and averaged 5.7 points a game. He netted nine points in the championship game.

Winning the Niagara District Referees Association sportsmanship award was the St. Catharines Collegiate Saints.