The Platinum Circuit (TPC) championship weekend saw Shawinigan Prep, CTA Gold, Brampton City Prep (BCP), and Bill Crothers emerge as the top four teams, each securing a spot in the semi-finals. The tournament featured 15 teams divided into four pools, with each team playing every other team in its pool once. The team with the most wins in each pool advanced. The weekend was packed with high-intensity playoff basketball as teams battled to secure their place at the top.
Pool A was the only three-team pool and featured Brampton City Prep, Tri-City Provincial, and Uchenna Academy. Tri-City Provincial opened the tournament with a shocking win, snapping BCP’s nine-game win streak behind Mohamed Said’s nine threes and 31 points. With that win, Tri-City Provincial looked to be in a great position to advance, but Uchenna spoiled this and pulled off a wild fourth-quarter comeback in the second game. Down 11 with under three minutes left, Uchenna surged back on the two-way effort of scoring duo Illya Kramar (21pts) and Theodore Cuenot (15pts). With a minute left, a perfectly drawn-up inbound play set up Kramar’s game-tying three, followed by a clutch triple from Severyn Borsch to seal the 64-61 win. Despite entering as the top seed, BCP’s semi-final hopes came down to the final game. Under high stakes, they bounced back with a statement win, dominating Uchenna by 63 points behind Isaiah Olunloyo’s 29 pts. The blowout secured BCP’s semi-final berth on point differential.
In Pool B, there was a two-team race between CTA Gold and Alma Prep. Both squads entered their final matchup undefeated at 2-0, with the winner advancing. Both teams were deep and well-rounded, making for a tightly contested game. Alma Prep showcased a balanced offensive attack with explosive bench scoring, highlighted by Vincent Tremblay, who dropped 21 points against West United Prep off the bench the day before. In a tightly contested game, CTA Gold had the edge, leaning on the consistent play of Waris Njoya, who averaged 20.3 points during pool play. He stepped up once again, scoring 21 points to lead CTA Gold past Alma Prep and into the next round.
Pool C was headlined by tournament favourites Bill Crothers, with CTA Red emerging as a significant challenger. Both teams entered Day 2 with wins over Oakville Prep and SC Academy respectively, setting up a winner-takes-all matchup to advance to the semis. Bill Crothers, led by Bieva Cabant, built a 10-point lead by halftime. After a back and forth, third quarter, CTA Red battled back with an 8-0 run fueled by Junior Jean-Marie (11pts) to open the fourth and tie the game at 59 with less than a minute to go. With a chance to win in regulation, CTA Red could not convert on a game-winner, sending the game to overtime. In overtime, Bill Crothers guard Miles Hamilton took over, hitting three clutch threes to seal the win for the team from Markham, On. Despite an impressive fourth-quarter comeback, CTA Red fell short and was eliminated from the tournament.
The race to advance in Pool D ended in a three-way tie, with Lincoln Prep, Shawinigan Prep, and Northstar all finishing 2-1. Shawinigan narrowly advanced, edging out the others with the highest point differential.
Lincoln Prep played at a rapid pace all weekend, resulting in three high-scoring games led by Alessandro Acosta Reyes (22.3ppg) and Andre Brutus (22ppg). They won two games, but their initial 17-point loss to Northstar, powered by a 30-point performance from Bami Olusakin, hurt their point differential. Northstar appeared in control heading into their final game, but Shawinigan’s big three of Frank Thomas (23pts), Jacques Walleyirwe (22pts), and Ian Gonzalez (16pts) fueled a dominant 96-72 win, creating the 24-point swing needed to top the group.
The TPC Championship Rounds tip off Sunday March 8th at Six Park East, with Shawinigan Prep, CTA Gold, Bill Crothers, and Brampton City Prep advancing. After a thrilling group stage, only four teams remain in the hunt for the title.
