KYLE PETERS
REPORTER-EDITOR
That was the feeling in the air when George Brown men’s basketball team honoured their graduating class before the last regular season game against Georgian College, clinching first in the Ontario College Athletics Association rankings in the East. Ending the season with a 97-77 stomp, among the players honoured was guard Chris Fields.
“For me it was pretty emotional,” said Fields, who is graduating from the Fashion Business Industry program. “Knowing that this will be my last regular season home game as a Husky was hard to think about.”
The win was a change in what’s been a bittersweet month for the Huskies. The team’s 15-game undefeated run reached an end, in a loss to St. Lawrence. The game would be followed by another loss, this time in double overtime to Loyalist College. Although both games were close, the run’s conclusion left a sour taste in the dressing room.
“When we lost to St. Lawrence we were disappointed in ourselves,” Fields noted, “because we knew that (we were better) than how we played that weekend.”“I think coming together as a team and understanding that we just had a bad weekend was a big part. We had Seneca to worry about after our back to back losses, we didn’t get down on each other or point out the negative, we stuck together and still believed (we were) the team to beat in the Eastern conference.”
Despite the pair of losses, and a demotion to second place, the Huskies would go on to gain a pair of wins to close the season. In a close game against Seneca, Naseem Barry would lead the charge with 16 points, taking the game in a 77-73 win. To Fields, the team was able to rally to close the season on a better note.
“I think coming together as a team and understanding that we just had a bad weekend was the biggest part. We had Seneca to worry about after our back to back losses, we didn’t get down on each other or point out the negative, we stuck together and still believed (we were) the team to beat in the Eastern conference.”
The deserved recognition over the last three seasons is something Fields is sure will always sit with him, even with the stellar season the team has had. Looking back at his time in the blue, the guard saw that as both an advantage and a downside. “Day in and day out we have proven that we are one of the OCAA’s best teams, but they just don’t rate us. We have a hard working mentality and (for new players, they should) understand you’ll always be seen as the underdog when you put on a George Brown jersey.”
