By Larry Moko
Cathedral won the championship game of the 2026 Silver Fox Invitational basketball tournament thanks in large part to the 'insane tenacity' of Quinton O'Connor.
The Grade 10 guard hit the floor hard on numerous occasions while driving to the rim. But, as a result, he drew fouls and scored a game-high 29 points as the Gaels topped London's Mother Teresa Spartans, 78-72, on Saturday night.
The 53rd Silver Fox competition featured 16 high school teams and was held at both the Saltfleet and Glendale gyms.
O'Connor was named to the all-star team along with teammate Josh Granger-Bigford (the tournament MVP). In addition, O'Connor received the award for top defensive player.
"It was a very physical game, for sure," Cathedral coach Jacob Cordero said. "As a Grade 10, Quinton stepped up with insane tenacity."
According to Cordero, he spoke to O'Connor pre-game in the locker room about strategy.
"I said 'there's going to be so much focus on the seniors, you're going to be open on the drives. They don't actually recognize you right away as a threat. That's something you might want to take personally and show them that you're here wearing Cathedral gear and you're ready to play.'"
En route to hoisting the Jim Weatherbee championship trophy, the lone Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league entry also defeated the Kingston Frontenac Falcons, Toronto's Oakwood Barons and Timmins Blues.
It was the first Silver Fox title for Cathedral since 2020.
The Spartans trailed throughout until Peace Tshibasu struck for seven consecutive points late in the third quarter. That gave Mother Teresa a 56-53 lead.
Cathedral quickly regained the advantage to start the fourth, however, when Granger-Bigford connected on a three-point shot and O'Connor followed with an and-one play.
The Gaels eventually padded their lead to 11 points but needed four free-throw points in the final 34 seconds by Samuel Wleh and O'Connor to hold off the Spartans.
Other top scorers for Cathedral were Granger-Bigford, with 17 points, and Mekhi Bennett, with 11.
Tshibasu tossed in 21 points for the Spartans, while Jacob Brown added 11.
Spartans coach Kwame Aidoo expected the final to be hard fought. He's the former McMaster University football cornerback who helped the Marauders capture four consecutive Yates Cup championships from 2000-03. Aidoo also played high school basketball for Oakville Loyola (coached by Cathedral's Kevin Daly).
"We beat Cathedral last year in the quarter-final at OFSAA (48-47)," Aidoo said. "That's why this year both teams had a thing for each other."
Mother Teresa, which lost the 2025 OFSAA final in Kingston to the Pickering Trojans, will be hosting the provincial AAA championships March 9-11 in London.
"Growing up in Oakville I used to come to this tournament," Aidoo added. "Once I started coaching about eight years ago, it has been my goal to get a London team out here and compete at the Silver Fox. It's one of the most prestigious tournaments in Ontario to see where you stack up.
"I think our boys played well. Cathedral is a very mature team."
Mother Teresa lost once before to Cathedral in tournament action recently. Said Cordero: "That was a close game too -- 69-63 at our Mark Walton tournament in Hamilton. Mother Teresa has one of the best teams I've seen in a while."
Cordero said MVP Granger-Bigford had an impact at both ends of the floor, scoring at will and guarding opponents' best players. The Gaels coach also pointed out that Aaron Daly and Wleh were defensive stoppers in preliminary games.
It was Cathedral's third tournament championship of the season.
"We played for each other and the crest on the shirt," Cordero said. "It was the Cathedral brand of basketball."
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
More photos on HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page
