(Halifax, NS) The 2025-26 ACAA Men's Basketball Championship continued this afternoon with the second quarter-final matchup as the four-seed Crandall Chargers defeated the five-seed Holland College Hurricanes 82-65 Friday evening at the A. Garnet Brown Memorial Gymnasium.
Jayden Johnson (Moncton, NB) sparked the Chargers' offence off the bench as he finished with a game-high 19 points, while recording 5 rebounds. Colby McIntosh (Florenceville, NB) recorded 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists for the Chargers. Luca Del Bosco (Montreal, QC) notched a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Spencer Rossiter (Summerside, PE) led the way for the Hurricanes, with a team-high 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. Zachary Dawkins (Edmonton, AB) chipped in with 13 points, and 7 rebounds. Quinton Martin (East York, ON) came off the bench and finished with 12 points and 3 rebounds.
Zachary Dawkins opened up the game with a pull-up mid-range for the Hurricanes. Ethan Culberson (Hartland, AB) would counter for the Chargers as he would connect with a mid-range to tie things up in the first minute of the quarter. Both teams looked to run early in the quarter as they both looked to score in transition offence. The Chargers would look to Charles McKenna as he would find his way to two strong finishes at the basket. The Hurricanes would instantly respond as Quinton Martin would make a mid range jumper to tie the game up at 10 midway through the first quarter. As the momentum was with the fourth seed Chargers, they would call on Jayden Lucas (Lucasville, NS) as he checked into the game and immediately scored with a right-handed lay-up to extend their lead. The Hurricanes would get a response as Vashon Ford (Mississauga, ON) would be relentless on the glass as he would pursue an offensive rebound that led to a second chance lay-up. The Chargers would close out the quarter with the momentum taking a 22-12 lead into the second quarter.
As the second quarter started, Colby McIntosh would find an opening in the middle of the lane and rose over his defender to score the basket. McKenna would continue to slash to openings on the court as Luca Del Bosco would find him for an easy layup to extend their lead to 28-14. Spencer Rossiter would respond and stop the Chargers' run with a midrange jumper. On the next possession for the Hurricanes, Dawkins would rise up over his defender for a contested jumper as the Chargers held a 30-18 lead midway through the second quarter. Looking to close the gap, the Hurricanes would turn to Rossiter as he would hit a three from the left corner to narrow the gap to 30-24 but on the following Chargers possession, Caleb Rennie (Ajax, ON) would nail a crucial three to regain the double digit lead. Off the Hurricanes' turnover, the Chargers would find Lucas wide open at the top of the key where he converted on a vital three to give them a 12-point lead with over 2 minutes remaining in the quarter. With 40 seconds remaining in the quarter, the Chargers called a play for Jayden Johnson to attack the Hurricanes' defence for the strong finish. The Chargers would take the halftime lead up 39-29 over the Hurricanes.
As the third quarter restarted play, the Chargers would connect on the first basket when Dave Hutton (Montreal, QC) knocked down the wide open three. The Hurricanes would respond with consecutive made baskets by Jahreal Tomlinson (Ajax, ON), and two made baskets by Rossiter, a lay-up and a three which cut the lead to 5 for the Chargers. Out of the timeout, the Chargers looked to regain the momentum as they would find Rennie in transition for the uncontested three to stretch their lead to eight. With the lead at 6, the Chargers would extend it when McIntosh would find Johnson for the open three at the top of the key midway through the quarter. The Chargers would continue to call on their marksman as Lucas would connect on another three to give him a 10-point lead with over two minutes remaining. Quinton Martin would respond for the Hurricanes from range to cut the Chargers' lead to 5 with less than a minute remaining. With less than ten seconds remaining, McKenna would receive a pass from Rennie and connect on a floater to extend the Chargers' lead to 55-48 at the end of the third quarter.
Both teams opened the fourth quarter with increased intensity as a semi-final spot was up for grabs. First, the Hurricanes would get a spark from Dawkins as he knocked down a three from the left wing. Next, McIntosh would promptly answer the call with a three of his own on the ensuing possession. Out of a timeout, the Chargers would set up their offence and find Johnson down low with an entry pass that extends their lead back to 11 with three minutes played in the fourth. On their next possession, the Chargers would move the ball quickly from one side to the other and found Del Bosco in the left corner for long mid-range. Ethan Culberson would attack the Hurricanes' defence for a contested lay-up that gave the Chargers a 15-point advantage midway through the quarter. Jaidon Martin (East York, ON) would answer for Hurricanes as he connect on a corner three as the Chargers held a 68-56 lead. Q. Martin would convert a three from the same spot for the Hurricanes and then Culberson would execute a mid-range jumper for the Chargers. As the time remaining in the game shrinks, hustle points were vital. Del Bosco would connect on a corner three off of his teammates' ability to crash the offensive glass to gain the extra possession. The Chargers increased their lead to 73-59 off the made three attempt. With two minutes to play, McIntosh would put the game out of reach after connecting on a made three. The fourth seed Chargers would earn the right to face the top seed host Mystics with their victory. They would win by a 82-65 margin.
Cleve's Source for Sports Player of the Game
Jayden Johnson (Crandall Chargers)
Zachary Dawkins (Holland College Hurricanes)
The Crandall Chargers advance to tomorrow's semi-final matchup as they face the top-seeded host Mount Saint Vincent Mystics. Tip off is at 6:00 p.m.