Juvenile Girls Baskteball win a quarter-final battle against Beurling Academy

The juvenile girls basketball team won a hard fought quarter-final game against Beurling Academy Tuesday February 17th at VMC.  The team started the game with some strong defense that forced many turnovers.  The turnovers proved to be too much for the opposition as the VMC juvenile girls converted many into points.  With the lead never relinquished, the opposition began to show their frustration with an insportsmanlike foul and 2 technical fouls. 

The VMC juvenile girls now wait to find out who will be their opposition in their sem-final match-up this Thursday February 19th.  Stay tuned.....

Bantam Boys Basketball Play their playoff tie breaker Monday February 9 at JFK

The Bantam Boys Basketball team will be playing their tie-breaker game on Monday February 9th at JFK to see who will proceed into the playoffs. 

Boys Basketball out of the playoffs -- Girls in

The Bantam Boys suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of West Island College Monday February 9th.  Despite their intense effort, too many turnovers and a lack of baskets cost the boys their season end. 

The Juvenile Boys hopes of a playoff birth were dashed in their last game of the season with a last second play by the opposition.  With less than 2 seconds remaing on the clock and VMC leading by one, an errant inbound pass ends up in the hands of the opposition under the basket, the basket is in and the season is over.

Meanwhile the Juevnile Girls and Bantam Girls are playing  their playoff games Tuesday February 17th and Thursday February 19th at home.  Both teams, ending their season first in their division have plenty of potential in bringing home a girls basketball championship that VMC has not seen in more than 10 years.

GO RAMS GO!!!

Juvenile Girls end season in semi-finals

The Juvenile Girls ended their season in their semi-final match-up versus Marymount Academy.  On Thursday February 20th the Juvenile Girls gave it their best effort to defeat Marymount Academy but came up short in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter.  With the season on the line and the opposition leading by 8 in the third quarter, the girls put on a choking press that almost gave them the victory with 16 seconds remaining.  But an unfortunate unsportsmanlike foul put the opposition on the line and the ball.

The season ends for the juvenile girls placing first in their division and out-performing stronger teams.  Great coaching and a strong defence gave the VMC girls a great run.  Thank you girls for an exciting season.

VMC Bantam Girls Basketball team proves to be too much for the opposition

The bantam girls basketball team played an impressive strong game against Westmount Thursday February 19th.   With the season on the line the Bantam Girls defeated Westmount 51 to 24.  The opposition didn't know what hit them.  The VMC defence created many tunovers and the VMC team never looked back with their lead.

Next stop... the VMC home game championship.

Bantam Girls win basketball championship!

The undefeated bantam girls brought home the GMAA division 3 banner, our first girls basketball championship in nine long years! The key to Massey's success was a combination of disciplined play, good positioning, and strong rebounding around the rim that kept the other team frustrated throughout the contest. All of the girls played well, but a special mention should be made of Julie Kochan, the game's leading scorer with 15 points (and countless blocked shots), and of Marina Crivelli, whose successful strong drives to the basket were a determining factor in earning her the game ball for MVP. Well done, girls! Your school's proud of you!!!

D.O.D. Boxout Basketball Tournament

  The Juvenile Boys basketball team took part in the annual D.O.D. Boxout basketball tournament this past weekend at Centre Claude Robillard.  VMC has been going to this tournament for the past five years as a way to close the season and play against a tougher caliber of opponent in order to prepare for the following season.  We have never won a game at this event, but always come away more confident in our abilities, and better capable to handle ourselves against pressure defences and higher skilled players we may face in future games.

  This year, we got the monkey off our back!  After rallying from a twelve point deficit at the half in Game 1 versus St. Ex, the boys took a nine point lead in the second, only to lose by two points after some lax defending combined with a terrible missed call on an intentional foul by St. Ex that effectively endede the game.  Upset, but not deflated by what they perceived to be a win stolen from their hands, VMC rallied in Game 2, defeating Dunton HS by seven points.  VMC had its first DOD win, and with a positive point differential, qualified for Sunday's playoffs as the #4 seed, playing the tournament #1, ELVA. 

  The Rams fought hard in their Sunday game, but ultimately couldn't overcome the slowing and eventual loss of Anthony Evangelista to injury combined with too many turnovers as we started to tire.  Still, we stayed with our stronger opponent, definitely showing we belonged this year.  Had that first game gone the other way, whp knows how we would have fared as the #2 seed instead of the #4, but as I told the team, it should never have come down to that play in the first place.

  While all the boys played extremely well, special mention should be made for Michael Napoletano who showed great leadership on court, for Andrew Priess who returned to provide awesome rebounding (best in tournament), and for Anthony Evangelista who scored several key baskets on Saturday.  Also, Justin Renzullo's contribution to this team not just this weekend, but over the last three years, must be recognized.  As our only Sec V player, Justin's dedication and defence-first attitude was much appreciated and he will be sorely missed next year.

  Thanks for a great season boys!

Bantam Girls 2nd Basketball Try-outs :: Friday Oct. 2nd

If you are athletic and a Bantam Girl, (secondary one or two), you are invited to come and try-out for Vincent Massey Collegiate's bantam girls basketball team.  The Soccer and Volleyball season ends at the end of October and the basketball season will begin.  VMC would like to host a strong powerful team and thus requires a strong number of girls to show-up to the try-out.  Come and be a part of something big!  Try-outs are afterschool Friday Oct 2nd!

Juvenile Boys 4-0, First in East

  The Rams basketball team held a slim lead for most of their game against Rosemount Tuesday night before opening up a bit of a cushion in the final quarter en route to a hard-fought 46-33 win.  This one was a total team effort, with defence and a willingness to give a little extra  the key to the victory.  Paolo Adonna standing in to draw a tough charge at a crucial point in the game was one of the highlights.

  Michael Napoletano led the offence with 13 points.  Anthony Evangelista had 12 and Giordano Cescutti 9 respectively.  On offence it wasn't always pretty, however.  Rosemount fought for every possession, and our team kept coming straight at them.  This meant foul trouble for the visitors, and VMC went to the line a whopping 41 times, hitting just over 50% for 22 points (not fantastic, but a vast improvement on their dismal performance at the line vs LMAC last week).  At the same time, our boys stayed out of foul trouble down the stretch, limiting Rosemount's opportunities to get back in the game.

  With the win, VMC climbs into 1st place in the Eastern group and will now try to continue their early success on the road at LMAC on Friday, Maimonides on Monday and James Lyng on December 15th.  All three of these games are against tough opponents and will go a long way to showing what our team is capable of this season.

  Congratulations team.

Bantam Boys Win First Game!

The bantam boys posted a convincing win in their first game against Mother Theresa Thursday, winning 54 to 37. A balanced attack and an efficient press showed that the team is ready for a challenging season and will be looking forward to the playoffs. The rams were led by Johnny Pietrangelo's 13 points, but the rookie players were a great surprise with Anthony Vespoli , Alex Des Roches, and Peter Iannitelli all having great games. The next game is against east-side rivals JFK, so come out and support!

Juvenile Boys go to 3-0 vs LMAC

   The Juvenile Boys basketball team won the battle of the Rams on Tuesday night, handing LMAC a 44-30 loss to start their season, while pushing VMC's record to a perfect 3-0.  The team had to adjust to a scrappy and closely refereed game early on, going down 7-3 before storming back to finish the first quarter with a 12-7 lead.  From that point on, VMC never trailed. 

  Michael Napoletano once more dictated the pace of the game and contributed 9 points on offence.  Anthony Evangelista led the scoring with 13 points, but more importantly out-rebounded his much larger opponent at both ends of the floor.  In the first game VMC has played with a full roster, there were some signs of rust, and their free throw shooting was a dismal 7/29.  Nevertheless, the team stayed in control, played solid defence and came through with an important win within their division.

  VMC's next game will be Tuesday, December 1st at home versus the as yet undefeated Rosemount, with the winner being able to stake an early claim as the best team in th East End.  Gametime will be 4:45.

Juvenile Girls Basketball

The time for the Juvenile Girls basketball game against Marymount on Friday has been changed to 3:45. Early dismissal will be at 1:55. Good luck girls.

Juvenile Boys Get By LMAC, Go to 5-0

  The Juvenile Boys Basketball team overcame a poor offensive showing and a LMAC squad that was tougher at home than they were at our gym to run their season record to an impressive 5-0.  While the offence just wasn't clicking, the team played a solid defensive game, outwaiting LMAC until we could finally connect on some plays in the fourth quarter to ensure the stronger team took the victory.

  The game was tied after each of the first three quarters, with both teams scoring ten points in each frame.  Finally, in the final few minutes, VMC was able to assert some level of dominance, getting some key steals, drawing fouls and managing the clock.  Giordano Cescutti led all scorers with 13 points, and was 7 of 8 from the free throw line.  Michael Napoletano had 10 points and AJ  Evangelista finished with 8.  With this win, the boys are in control for the moment in the East, and gave shown they can win even when struggling, but will have to be sharper Monday night when they travel to Maimonides, a team with playoff aspirations of their own in our division.

Juvenile Boys Now 6-0 As Halfway Point Approaches

  The Juvenile Boys returned to form Monday with an emphatic 48-33 win versus Maimonides on the road.  In a gym that is always a difficult venue, the team never trailed past the midway point of the first quarter, and pulled away with a dominant second half despite starting point guard Michael Napoletano sitting out the entire third with foul trouble.

  Anthony Evangelista rediscovered his game in a big way, recording 18 points and numerous blocks to go with his now-expected rebounding prowess.  Michael Napoletano had 9 points, all but one in the first quarter, but controlled the play well in the fourth.  Giordano Cescutti set the tone for the second half by drawing a key charging call, contributed 6 points and steadied the ship in Napoletano's absence.  Once again, however, team defence was a major factor as the boys consistently frustrated Maimonides' attackers while spreading the scoring around, particularly in the later stages, at the other end of the floor.

  The team next travels to James Lyng on the 15th of December before taking a well-deserved rest for the holidays.  If we can steal a win at Lyng's gym, we will certainly be in the driver's seat within our group heading into the new year.

Juvenile Boys Basketball Defeat James Lyng, Go Into Break at 7-0.

  It was another week and another win ground out by the Boys over a very determined and athletic team from James Lyng on Tuesday.  VMC never trailed, but never really pulled away, either, in a hard-fought 44-39 win.  The team now goes into 2010 with a perfect record of seven wins, no losses and a playoff spot all but wrapped up already, but there is definitely a lot more to play for at this point.

  Without Paolo Adonna, the team looked to the Bantam team for help, recruiting Matthew Moser for the day.  He filled in admirably, stayed calm playing against boys three years older and didn't look out of place at all.  Anthony Evangelista led all scorers with 16 points.  Michael Napoletano added 12 and the rest of the team spread the scoring, with Carlo Petrone finally making his debut in the points column on the scoresheet...hopefully a sign of things to come!

  Now the boys will rest up, eat well and study for exams early, as the first week back will be all basketball as we start the New Year with three games before the exam week. 

Juvenile Boys Suffer First Loss, Then Rebound In Big Way

  The Juvenile Boys suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday, as Maimonides came in to our gym more prepared and hungrier than we were, handing our Rams a 41-36 defeat.  Maimonides, looking to avenge a pre-Christmas loss at thier school pressed from the start, and were dominant as the Rams couldn't manage to shake off that Holiday rust.  Maimonides extended their early lead to 15 points by the start of the fourth quarter.  With about five minutes to play, VMC finally started to wake up, actually cutting the deficit to just a basket late in the game.  Ultimately, however, it was too late and the Rams ran out of clock, were forced to foul and watch as Maimonides sank their free throws to win the game. 

  That fighting spirit seemed to carry over to today's game against Greaves Adventist Academy, though.  The Boys travelled to NDG to take on the Disciples, scored first and never looked back.  Greaves closed an early Massey lead to just 14-12 in the second quarter before the Rams went on a 29-2 run and blew the game open.  Michael Napoletano had a virtuoso performance at point guard, relentlessly defending to force turnovers, moving the ball well and scoring 20 points himself.  Paolo Adonna woke up from his Florida vacation to chip in with eight points, Fabrizio Mancuso had six and even Carlo Petrone, not known for his offence got in on the act with three points.  Petrone also played hard defence throughout.  Anthony Evangelista, while quiet offensively, had a monster game on the boards and frustrated the Greaves forwards with numerous blocked shots to allow VMC's run to continue.  Mancuso, Jaimin Patel and Gabriel Zappatelli all rebounded extremely hard, a big improvement upon the forward performance versus Maimonides.

  The team now turns their attention to JFK as they try to start a new winning streak, hopefully one that will carry them deep into the playoffs.  This midseason loss may be more of a positive than a negative if the team continues to play with the hungerthey displayed today.

Juvenile Boys Defeat JFK, Protect Division Lead

  The Juvenile Boys put some distance between themselves and Maimonides on Friday by defeating JFK High School by a score of 52-26 at JFK.  This win afforded the team a little breathing room in their quest to finish first in their group to maintain home court advantage for the opening round of the playoffs,  The win also guaranteed the team a playoff berth for the season.

  This sometimes scrappy affair was never in doubt as the Rams scored the first 8 points and didn't look back.  Scoring came from all over, but notable on offence were Michael Naploetano with 17 points, AJ Evengelista with 14 points despite resting the entire fourth quarter, Gabriel Zappatelli with 8 and Carlo Petrone with 4 points.  For both Zappatelli and Petrone this was a season high.

  The defence was solid, with the weaker JFK side, though determined, never really troubling the Rams and VMC able to score a lot of their points with a quick transition from JFK turnovers or Evangelista rebounds. 

  Now the team breaks for exams, hopefully returning to the floor less rusty than after the Christmas layoff, hungry to continue the drive to the playoffs.

Juvenile Boys Take Care of Business at Herzliah Snowdon

  The Juvenile Boys Basketball team guaranteed finishing top of their group by defeating Herzliah Snowdon on the road by a score of 56-23.  Though Snowdon's record was less than stellar, many of their losses were by small margins and the Rams did not want to take them lightly.  VMC set the tone for the night early.  After giving up the game's first basket following a turnover in the Herzliah end, the Rams went on a twelve point run to start the first quarter.  This, along with a run of 15 points straddling halftime and a 9 point run to start the fourth meant this game was never in doubt. 

  The defence smothered Snowdon's attack, our forwards out-rebounded theirs, our guards out-hustled theirs and the Rams offence really managed to find their groove.  VMC moved the ball well around the perimeter, and attacked the paint with effective interior passing.  AJ Evangelista led all scorers with 20 points.  Michael Napoletano had 10 points, Giordano Cescutti scored 8, going a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line in a game that lacked many whistles and was quite free-flowing.

  On Wednesday next week, the team plays a game that has been circled on their calendar for some time.  Herzliah St. Laurent comes to Massey in a game featuring two teams with equal records battling for first place and home court through the playoffs.  This game is also the potential semi final matchup (if all goes well in the opening round), so it should be an interesting battle from the opening tip-off.  The game starts at 3:00.  Come support your Rams on their march to the playoffs.

Juvenile Boys Dominate Herzliah, Wrap Up Home Court for Playoffs

  The Juvenile Boys team kicked off the first game of a VMC double header by handing Herzliah St Laurent a 60-51 loss, only their second of the year, and wrapping up first place in the regular season and home court throughout the playoffs.  In what was easily their best game of the season, if not for a couple seasons, the Rams went up by as much as 20, weathered a determined run by Herzliah in the fourth and trailed only after the visiting team scored the first basket.

  VMC generated their offence by playing fantastic defence from the start, pushing it up the floor after causing turnovers and capitalizing by taking it to the basket.  Anthony Evangelista led the scoring with 24 points, 14 of which came in anexplosive first quarter.  He also hit the boards hard on both ends, and seemed to inspire his teammates to do the same.  Our forwards dominated the glass for most of the game.  The guards matched their big men's intensity, amping up the defence, continuously frustrating Herzliah's attempts to press and passing the ball well inside to get their team some easy baskets.  Michael Napoletano also added 12 points of his own, Giordano Cescutti 11, including shooting 7 of 9 at the free throw line.  In fact, if the rest of the team could have matched his prowess in that area, this game would never have been close. 

  Special mention should also go to some great hustle play by Jaimin Patel and Michael Del Vecchio, as well as a great effort by rookie Gabriel Zappatelli, who was called in to action more than usual when center Carlo Petrone, the normally Gentle Giant, fouled out in the second quarter.

  The team will take a much deserved day off tomorrow before hitting the gym again Friday to prepare for their last regular season game, Monday at Rosemount High School.

Juvenile Boys Finish Regular Season with 54-17 Romp at Rosemount

  The Juvenile Boys were afforded the luxury of spreading around some playing time and resting up for the playoff run with a smooth 54-17 win at Rosemount Monday.  Every member of the team scored, with no one scoring in double digits, truly spreading the offence.  AJ Evangelista scored 9 points in limited action, Michael Napoletano had 8 and Fabrizio Mancuso 7, but everyone got good looks at the basket and made them count.

  The Rams defence never allowed Rosemount any momentum, only allowing them to score two baskets in a row twice in the game, leading to VMC's scoring coming in bunches.  The guards did a great job forcing poor passes into the key and the forwards consistently gobbled up the loose balls and rebounds, quickly starting the break in the opposite direction.  There was no post big game letdown here, and the Rams look ready and able to do some damage when the playoffs start next week.

  Congratulations to the team on a great regular season.  Now the work begins anew in the playoffs.

Juvenile Boys Defeat Kuper, Head to Semi-final

  The Juvenile Boys basketball team's impressive season will continue for at least one more game (and hopefully another after that), thanks to a 41-32 win Wednesday versus Kuper Academy. 

   This win more of a grinding victory than a free-flowing display of offense similar to the Rams' last couple of games.  Kuper crowded the floor with a determined effort to play man to man defence for the entire game, forcing Massey to adjust their offensive strategy.  On offence, Kuper balanced outside shooting with two imposing centers that required Massey to make adjustments to protect their own basket as well.  But make adjustments, the Rams did.  This, along with a focused offensive effort from Anthony Evangelista and Michael Napoletano (15 and 14 points respectively) ensured a win for VMC.

  The Rams held an early lead, but that evaporated when frustration over missed calls turned into a technical foul following a defensive call at our end.  Kuper capitalized, and at halftime the game was deadlocked at 17-17.  VMC managed to build a small lead on Evangelista's outside shooting, but Kuper would not roll over, forcing VMC, particularly Michael Napoletano and Giordano Cescutti to make free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

  VMC now awaits the winner of today's game between Hebrew Academy and James Lyng High School. 

Juvenile Boys Basketball Going to the Final

  The Juvenile Boys Basketball team worked hard to defeat a skilled and very quick team from Hebrew Academy Wednesday by a score of 45-40.  With starting center Paolo Adonna out with an injury, the rest of the team had to step up in his absence and they did just that.  Rookie forward Gabriel Zappatelli filled in admirably at center, and Carlo Petrone slid seamlessly into the starter's role.

  The team was down by five points midway through the second quarter and things were looking pretty grim when the team's top scorer, Anthony Evangelista, picked up four quick fouls with over half a game to play and a short bench at forward.  To his credit  he managed to stay in the game, lead all scorers with 18 points, and out-rebound the smaller Hebrew Academy forwards throughout the contest.  Secondary scoring again came from Giordano Cescutti with 10 and Michael Napoletano with 9 points.  Yet again, however, in a low scoring game such as this, team defence waas key, and the hustle of our role players, notably Michael Del Vecchio and Carlo Petrone on this day played a big part in this win.

  The boys now await the winner of Maimonides and Lower Canada College.  The final will be played after March Break.

  The Juvenile Boys team would also like to congratulate the Juvenile Girls on winning their championship game against The Study in a nailbiter of a final.  Hopefully we will hang a banner beside yours very soon!