Holy Names Secures OFSAA Bronze in Dominant Finish

LONDON, ON – The Holy Names Knights are coming home with provincial hardware once again. In a clinical defensive performance, the 3rd-seeded Knights stifled Toronto’s Upper Canada College (UCC) to capture the OFSAA AAA bronze medal with a 69-52 victory.

Taqtaq Leads the Way in Bronze Medal Rout

Andrew Taqtaq put on a masterclass, pouring in 28 points to lead the offense.

The story of the game, however, was the Knights' suffocating defense. Holy Names completely shut down the 9-seeded UCC in the final frame to pull away for the win.

"The character of this team exceeded our expectations," Head Coach Ryan Steer told Powerplay Sports. "They never quit and were able to respond and compete to win bronze after a tough semi-final loss. I'm super proud of all our senior players."

Giant Slayers: The Road to the Podium

The Knights’ path to London was highlighted by a signature performance against the province's elite. After opening with wins over Adam Scott and St. Martin, Holy Names faced a massive test against the defending OFSAA champions from Pickering.

In a thrilling back-and-forth battle, the Knights proved their resilience. Cole Loewenberg and Max Heath spearheaded a late 11-0 run to erase a deficit, while Artis Simmons iced the game with a clutch free throw in the dying seconds to knock off the reigning champs.

"Cole Loewenberg’s and Max Heath’s leadership and clutch play throughout the tournament helped us build confidence," Steer noted. "So many big-time, next-level plays from those two. Cole’s game-winning jumper vs St. Martin, Max’s 3/4 court buzzer-beater vs Pickering, and then three straight 3-pointers with under two minutes to steal the game from the defending champs was amazing."

A Tough Semi-Final and a Bright Future

The Knights' only blemish in a 4-1 tournament run came in a tightly contested semi-final against the tournament hosts and #2 seed, Mother Teresa. While the Knights battled to the final whistle, they fell just short against the eventual tournament winner.

Despite the heartbreak of the semi-final, the Knights regrouped instantly to ensure they didn't leave London empty-handed.

Eyes on 2027: OFSAA is Coming to Windsor

Holy Names is set to host the AAA OFSAA tournament next year, giving this squad a chance to upgrade their medal color in front of a home-town crowd in 2027.

"I'm excited to see how hard our returning players are willing to work to get back to this level next year," said Steer.