Hawks soar as city basketball champions

It took some heart-pounding overtime, but the Danforth Hawks clawed their way to victory last week at the city basketball championships.

Danforth Collegiate’s senior boys basketball team celebrate the nail-biting, overtime win over Forest Hill that made them city champions on Feb. 17 at George Brown College.
PHOTO: Andrew Hudson

“It was quite the nail-biter,” said Tyrone Smith, head coach of Danforth Collegiate’s senior boys’ basketball team.

Ahead for most of the Feb. 17 final, the Forest Hill Falcons managed to sink a game-tying three-pointer with just 0.2 seconds left in regulation time.

“Honestly, when he took that three-pointer and tied it, I thought I was going to pass out,” said Smith, laughing after the game.

“Seems like it’s the story of the season,” said Paul Turnbull, a teacher and chief ‘motivation consultant’ for the team.

“All the games have been close.”

Danforth clinched a berth in the final game with a narrow win over Humberside, the team that won out the last time the Hawks made the city finals three years ago.

Against the Falcons, Danforth kept their composure, waiting to draw out their defenders up above the key before rushing in.

“It wasn’t the prettiest game, but they ground it out,” said Smith.

“They just wanted it more,” said Turnbull.

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