LIVEBLOG: VARSITY BLUES vs. GEE-GEES

OUA East men's basketball semi-final action from Montpetit Hall, Toronto Varsity Blues vs. the Ottawa Gee-Gees:

Toronto need-to-know: The Blues weren't that far from being home for this game -- Mike Williams makes those last-second free throws in that one-point loss here last month, and the Blues win two of the other four games they lost by a basket or less, and they would have tied Ottawa in the standings at 17-5 and had the tiebreaker advantage. Average foul shooting (66.7%, fourth-worst in the 16-team OUA) could be an Achilles heel; we've already seen bad free throw shooting sink one team today -- the Western Mustangs were just 7-for-15 in their West quarter-final loss to Guelph (CIS Hoops.ca has a full report).

Ottawa need-to-know: Not a doctor here, but yes, point guard par excellence Josh Gibson-Bascombe was moving with a bit of a limp during the warmup -- he injured his left ankle midway through the first half last Saturday vs. Carleton.

The gym is filling up fast -- but it is still Canada, so someone did ask for a hockey score (Sabres-Sens tied 1-1 after one, by the way).

FIRST HALF

19:07. Dave DeAveiro has Curtis Shakespeare in the starting lineup after being a sixth man most of the year. Gibson-Bascombe just got the foul on a Mike Williams layup, giving him a 3-point play. Toronto leads 3-0.

16:37. DeAveiro was up off the bench after Alex McLeod was bumped on the boards and no foul was called, leading to a second-chance Toronto bucket. It's early yet, but this could be a low-scoring contest... both teams are closing the lane well. Toronto's up 8-6 after a Mike De Giorgio three.

15:09. Sean Peter has four of Ottawa's first eight, and just helped trap De Giorgio, forcing U of T to burn its 30-second timeout -- and commit a shot-clock violation after the inbounds. Tied 8-8.

14:20. Gibson-Bascombe looked OK there -- nice take to tie it 10-10.

13:04. This is looking like Toronto's kind of game -- both teams going deep in the shot clock, not much scoring, every basket hard-won. Dwayne Grant's long three has Toronto up 13-10. It's a little surprising DeAveiro doesn't call a timeout to slow his team down -- just as that was typed, Willy Manigat missed a 3.

10:40. There's a play that might get Ottawa going -- Manigat hits a leaner while being fouled, then gets his own rebound and ends up swishing a three. Tied 15-15.

9:56. Williams comes up with a big-time rejection on Manigat's layup try, leading to a quick transition and Gibson-Bascombe's second foul. Toronto leads 16-15 (Williams was 1/2).

8:41. Everyone take a breath and relax, OK? Toronto's Nick Magalas just airballed a wild three, capping a series of herky-jerky possessions where neither team seemed too interested in getting a good look. Ottawa calls timeout to regroup.

8:27. Shades of last week -- Ottawa comes out of a timeout and goe inside. Dax Dessureault goes 1/2; Williams comes back in for Toronto. Tied 16-16.

6:40. Manigat's second three puts up Ottawa ahead for the first time, 19-18; a long two puts Toronto back up.

6:17. DeAveiro uses a 30 to get Jermaine Campbell and Curtis Shakespeare back in to finish the half; it's 22-19 Toronto after De Giorgio makes a runner.

5:46. It's The Manigat Show; he's got 10 of Ottawa's 21. Williams' 3-point play (late foul by Donnie Gibson, a bit of a youthful indiscretion) makes it 25-21.

4:11. The Gee-Gees are starting to extend their defensive pressure out, picking up the Blues before half-court. Peter goes baseline for a reverse layup -- 25-24.

3:20. Jermaine Campbell gets his own miss, misses, gets it again and muscles it home while being fouled by De Giorgio (2nd foul). He completes the 3-point play -- 27-26 Ottawa.

2:00. A long two by Shakespeare was the fifth lead change of the half. 29-28 Ottawa.

1:25. Make that six, now seven -- Ben Katz hits a three, and Manigat answers with a triple -- by our count, he's got 13. 32-31 Ottawa.

:42.6. Toronto coach Mike Katz is livid after a no-call when De Giorgio and Manigat collided chasing a loose ball (it looked like Willy had the shoulder out, but all's fair in love and basketball).

HALFTIME. Toronto holds for the last shot, but Ottawa plays tight D and the Blues get nothing. It's 32-31 at halftime -- we've had seven lead changes and four lead changes. Exciting stuff.

Out-of-town scores: According to a reader who e-mailed, Andrew Peters-Brian McGrattan was a draw; the Carleton Ravens, last we heard, are up 31-23 over York at halftime; the Gee-Gees women's volleyball team just took a two-set lead over McMaster in the OUA final (see, we noticed). Oh, if anyone cares, the Senators do lead the Sabres 4-1.

Scoring leaders
Toronto -- Williams 11 (4-of-5 shooting), Grant 7, De Giorgio 5; Ottawa -- Manigat 13 (5-10, 3-for-5 on , Shakespeare 7, Peter 6. (Gibson-Bascombe has two points in eight minutes).
Rebounding
Toronto -- De Giorgio 5; Ottawa -- Shakespeare 6. Toronto has a 17-16 edge.
Foul trouble
Toronto -- De Giorgio 2, Grant 2; Ottawa -- Gibson-Bascombe 2.

Ottawa's had only two turnovers. Not bad considering their point guard spent most of the half on the bench with foul trouble.

SECOND HALF

19:50. Toronto goes inside to Williams on the first play of the half and Shakespeare gets a big block. Off the turnover, Gibson-Bascombe hits his first three of the night. 35-31 Ottawa.

18:23. Alex McLeod isn't scoring, but a nice double-team forced Williams to travel -- and he just hit a three for his first basket. 39-33 Ottawa -- their largest lead.

16:14. Looks like Toronto's strategy is to go to Williams every chance it gets. 43-37 Ottawa after a back-to-back baskets by Shakespeare.

15:37. Everything's coming up Gee-Gees -- Campbell gets the roll on a 3, and it's 46-42 -- Williams just got the old-timey 3-point play (third foul for Campbell).

14:27. DeAveiro uses his 30 after Ben Katz makes a layup. Gibson-Bascombe takes a breather as Manigat comes in to run the point for Ottawa.

13:12. Lead changes No. 8 and 9; a Mohammed Safarzadeh three was answered by McLeod from 15 feet. 49-47 Ottawa after Manigat goes 1/2 at the line.

12:04. David Labentowicz misses two freebies (after a three by Safarzadeh). 50-49 Toronto.

11:38. Gibson-Bascombe's back in as Manigat hits 2/2 to put Ottawa ahead 51-50. It's small-ball right now; Ottawa has 3 guards out and Toronto's resting Williams for the final push.

11:05. Gibson-Bascombe hits from 17 feet after Manigat drove and kicked. 53-50.

10:07. Shot-clock violation on Toronto after Manigat slapped the ball free from Katz on the drive. It's getting tense in here! Congratulations to the Gee-Gees women's volleyballers -- they're off to the CIS championship in Calgary after mauling McMaster in three straight sets in the final.

9:53. There's Manigat on the drive-and-kick again -- and he finds Donnie Gibson all by his lonesome for the three. 56-50.

8:27. It's kind of remarkable how long Ottawa's gone without the fifth-year guys -- McLeod, Campbell and Shakespeare have all been on the bench for several minutes. Gibson gets an offensive rebound and shovels the ball to Manigat, whose long two rattles in. 58-50.

7:45. Not a moment too soon -- after a turnover leads to an easy Toronto basket, ending a 9-0 run over the past 4:20 or so, DeAveiro takes timeout. 58-52. A reader's e-mailed to let us know the Ravens are up three, early second half.

7:16. Dessureault gets the basket on a tough take, and Manigat picks off a lazy pass, leading to DeGiorgio having to take his third foul. Shakespeare goes 1/2. 61-52 Ottawa.

6:15. Ben Katz gets the foul call and shooter's roll for a 3-point play. 61-55.

5:55. Shakespeare gets trapped in the backcourt after a rebound -- where was someone for an outlet pass? Toronto capitalizes with Safarzadeh hitting his third three of the second half. 61-58.

5:27. Ottawa's in bonus now -- Shakespeare makes 1/2 after a shooting foul (third on Safarzadeh). 62-58.

3:36. They've put the whistle away -- Gibson-Bascombe got mugged and there was no call, and De Giorgio drained a three to cut the lead to 62-61. The teams just traded baskets at the 3:15 mark, with McLeod hitting a shot for Ottawa. 64-63 Ottawa.

2:36. That's four lead changes in the past 60 seconds -- Gibson-Bascombe hits a three (the refs missed a foul on the arm) just moments after Katz scored inside and Ottawa goes ahead 67-65.

2:20. Grant, who's been quiet, hits a three for Toronto -- 68-67 (lead change, what, number 15?).

:54.9. McLeod, who helped the Gee-Gees get a hold, takes it inside and draws De Giorgio's fourth foul. He's got 2 coming up, and hits both. 69-68 Gee-Gees.

:25.7. Campbell guards Williams closely, forcing him to shoot that Patrick Ewing 15-foot fadeaway -- and it's short. Campbell's got the board, Toronto has to foul, and Jermaine has a one-and-one coming up.

Reader Paul Armstrong just BlackBerryed in an update from York-Carleton -- 40-32 Ravens with 12:30 left.

Campbell can't hit. Toronto may get the last shot. De Giorgio's gonna have to put it up -- well off the mark. Ottawa wins, 69-68, in another thriller -- three games between these teams, four- point differential.

Have a gamer coming up -- last check Carleton was up 59-43 with 5 minutes left. (Thanks Paul!)

Much obliged to Mark Wacyk of CIS Hoops.ca for inspiring the suggestion. If you're new here, thanks for coming and here's the main page. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.