The Humber Hawks men's basketball team completed a remarkable comeback to claim their eighth CCAA Championship, defeating the Durham Lords 76-70 in a high-stakes rematch. Powered by Adrian Aluyi's standout performance, where he achieved a career-high 31 points and 12 rebounds, the Hawks avenged their earlier loss to Durham in the provincial finals.

The Hawks were seeking redemption after Durham celebrated their provincial championship victory on Humber's home-court just two weeks prior. Determined to reclaim their place atop Canadian college basketball, Humber came out strong, opening with a quick 6-1 lead fuelled by back-to-back layups from Jalen Menzies. The Hawks maintained a narrow lead through most of the first quarter, but Durham surged late to take a 20-16 advantage.

Despite the Hawks' consistent defensive pressure, the Lords steadily increased their lead. With less than three minutes remaining in the half, Humber trailed 29-21. Aluyi knocked down two crucial free throws to narrow the gap, but the Hawks went into halftime facing a 35-27 deficit.

After the break, Aluyi refused to let his team fall further behind. The third-year forward carried the Hawks with 22 points through three quarters, keeping them within striking distance at 55-48 entering the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, the Hawks' trademark resilience emerged once again. With six minutes remaining and down seven, Aluyi converted an and-one layup to shrink the lead to four points. Shortly after, Kameron David drilled a corner three-pointer to bring Humber within one, igniting a wave of momentum. Moments later, Malik Grant drained a highlight-reel three-pointer to give Humber its first lead since the opening quarter. Grant's clutch shot proved to be the dagger, as Humber maintained control down the stretch to secure the 76-70 victory.

In addition to Aluyi's heroics, Grant added 11 points and two steals to earn tournament MVP honours. Aluyi and Menzies were named to the all-tournament team, further highlighting Humber's depth.

The win marked Humber's eighth CCAA gold medal, solidifying their status as the most decorated program in Canadian men's college basketball history. The Hawks are now 9-1 at the tournament under head coach Omar Miles, further cementing his leadership legacy.

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~ with files from Humber Athletics