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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, February 21, 2013 · 24 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-632-0588 (ext. 294) email sports@oakvillebeaver.com Royal flush Holy Trinity stuns Bishop Reding in Halton junior basketball final harder. They thought they were just going to win because they'd already beat us." However, Reding coach Anthony Cordeiro, Three months ago, in a one-week span, who still considers his team the top junior the Bishop Reding Royals delivered a pair of squad in the province because it defeated beatdowns on the Holy Trinity Titans junior every opponent it faced this season at least boys' basketball team, winning the two con- once, didn't agree the Royals took Trinity tests by a combined margin of nearly 70 lightly Tuesday. "Yeah, absolutely," Cordeiro said when points. It might have been the best thing that asked if his team was mentally prepared. "I could have happened to the Titans early in think our kids had a great season. They won the season, and the worst thing that could a lot of games. They lost two games all year, and unfortunately one of have happened to the Royals. them was (Tuesday). It gave the Trinity squad "We were underdogs. "It's just circumstances plenty of motivation to get We didn't think we that took place. They're not better, and it gave Reding were going to win... the first team in sport to be reason not to take the Titans They thought they were a dominant team that loses too seriously if they were to just going to win in a championship... and meet again. they won't be the last." Tuesday at Sheridan because they'd already Stevenson may have had College, the two squads did beat us." his doubts about Trinity's cross paths once again, meetchances going into Tuesday's ing in the Halton champion- Holy Trinity Titans player final, but Nacevicius had ship game. And this time, it Shamiel Stevenson seen the confidence level of was a much different story. Implementing a similar 2-3 matchup his squad grow throughout the season. The zone defensive strategy to the one that long- Titans won seven straight league games after time Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim the losses to Reding, including an overtime has made famous, the Titans frustrated win at Assumption and an eight-point victoReding -- a team that averaged nearly 80 ry at Corpus Christi. They also faced some points a game during the regular season -- tough teams in tournament and exhibition into its lowest-scoring outing of the cam- play to build their resiliency. "We could never beat (the top teams) but paign. On the offensive end, Shamiel Stevenson poured in a game-high 24 points it made our kids play harder and work as Trinity stunned the previously unbeaten harder in practice," Nacevicius said. Trinity's ability to deal with full-court Royals 59-57 to claim their second straight pressure was also key Tuesday. Reding tried regional junior title. Trinity coach Rob Nacevicius felt Reding's to press in the first quarter but the Titans lopsided wins in late November played a role handled it well, passing the ball down the floor and scoring uncontested layups to in Tuesday's outcome. "If you look at the beginning of the game, build an early lead. The Royals abandoned our intensity and energy level were there," the strategy after the first quarter, trailing he said. "And after Grade 9 and Grade 10 kids 21-15. Meanwhile, the 2-3 zone worked beautibeat us by a combined 70 points three months ago, it's just natural (for them to let fully for the Titans, even though Cordeiro said the Royals were prepared for it. Trinity down)." "We were underdogs. We didn't think we had utilized that defensive strategy in the were going to win," added Stevenson, who final third of the season. "I guess they were trying to slow the pace also plays rep for the Oakville Vytis. "We See Reding, page 26 hustled and we just ran our plays and pushed By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER DENIED: Holy Trinity's Shamiel Stevenson (left) blocks the shot of Bishop Reding's Payne Wood during Tuesday's Halton junior boys' basketball final at Sheridan College. Trinity's basketball sweep a rare feat Halton basketball champions since 1999 YEAR 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013* MIDGET Oak Trafalgar Iroquois Ridge MM Robinson Oak Trafalgar LB Pearson QE Park Abbey Park Holy Trinity Aquinas Nelson Holy Trinity Holy Trinity Holy Trinity Corpus Christi Holy Trinity JUNIOR Nelson MM Robinson MM Robinson Nelson Loyola Aquinas Aquinas Aquinas Aquinas Notre Dame Holy Trinity Notre Dame Holy Trinity Holy Trinity Holy Trinity SENIOR Nelson MM Robinson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Notre Dame Notre Dame Holy Trinity Holy Trinity Loyola Loyola Loyola Holy Trinity Holy Trinity * Public schools did not participate Holy Trinity teams swept the Halton high school boys' basketball trophy case this season, the first time one school has won the midget, junior and senior titles in the same year. The Titans midgets downed the Christ the King Jaguars 38-22 Tuesday at Sheridan College (story, page 26) before the juniors defeated the Bishop Reding Royals 59-57 and the seniors downed the Loyola Hawks 65-50 (story, page 25). "It's a culture," said Trinity senior coach Andrew Saulez. "We have kids who come in and play hard, are willing to put in extra time and help each other."