Scott Martin called it Game 7. Isaiah Cole called game.
In his final game as a Canadian Mennonite University Blazer, the all-conference guard delivered an MVP performance, putting up 32 points in an 82-62 win over the Providence University College Pilots to capture the MCAC men's basketball title.
"I gotta thank my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I was praying and asking about this and how I was going to go about this. I seek that guidance, then also my family. They reminded me how important this was," Cole said.
"It felt great. That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to do whatever it takes to help the team win and I was fortunate I was able to do that tonight."
"He came out, knew it was his last game, it was the final. We were in the final against them a couple of years ago and they bettered us so I think he was really fired up today," Martin added.
The season series was tied 3-3 entering Saturday's final. Cole said it was all about the start, and the Blazers were sharp from the jump. They scored 28 points in the opening quarter to lead by seven and only stretched the advantage for the rest of the night.
Cole put up 21 points in the first half before the Pilots had an answer for him.
"Because we have all that pressure on a few players, Daniel Cameron, he's leading the league in rebounding, third in scoring so there's a lot of pressure on him, Ezra (Leano) as well, when you have a bunch of guys that can do a bunch of stuff, it allows me to get more open," Cole said.
Martin said the key to the game was limiting PUC's runs, which CMU did, preventing the defending champs from scoring more than six straight points.
"We had full intensity for the entire 40 minutes, that was the key," Martin noted. "We had zero letdowns the whole game and it was a battle of attrition and we went out, got a little bit on a roll and it just stayed our way."