Cathedral Gaels Ranked No. 2 for OFSAA
By Larry Moko
The Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference champion Cathedral Gaels are seeded No. 2 for the 2025 OFSAA boys' basketball tournament.
The prestigious 18-team AAA high school competition is scheduled for March 3-5 in Kingston. "Basically, I thought we should be between 1 and 2 or, at the very worst, a 3 seed," Cathedral coach Luca Fortino said.
"I think it's warranted because of our record and who we've had to play to get where we are." The Gaels come in with a 35-5 overall record.
Cathedral went undefeated this season en route to capturing its league -- Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic Athletic Association -- and GHAC titles. In addition, the Gaels swept aside the opposition in taking the recent All-Ontario Catholic Classic in St. Catharines.
One of the Wentworth Street school's five losses this season was to St. Michael's College of Toronto -- OFSAA's No. 1 seed.
"It was in the final of the Vic Juzenas tournament in November," Fortino recalled. "So it was very early in the season and our team was just getting used to playing with each other. We lost to them by 10."
Fortino's squad was hoping to get another crack at St. Mike's in the final of the All- Catholic, but the Toronto entry was upset by the Holy Names Knights of Windsor. Ultimately, Cathedral downed Holy Names in the final, 60-57.
The seventh-seeded Mother Teresa Spartans of London also defeated Cathedral in tournament action this season as did three teams from the National Preparatory Association league that Cathedral plays in.
"Everybody on our team is really excited," Fortino said. "This group of guys hasn't had an opportunity to play in an OFSAA. So they're looking forward to showcasing their talent at the Ontario provincial championship level."
Cathedral's deep and veteran-laden lineup for OFSAA includes star forward Jaden Campbell. "We've seen a lot of the higher seeded teams," Campbell said. "I'm confident in my five against any five we have to go up against." The opener for Cathedral at the double-knockout tournament is against Mississauga's 12th-seeded St. Marcellinus Spirit.
"We watched some game film of them," the Gaels coach said. "They are pretty athletic. They like to get up and down the floor."
Tournament games are scheduled to be held at Frontenac Secondary School and St. Lawrence College.
The rest of the field includes, Ursuline College, Frontenac Secondary School, Saltfleet District High School, Oakwood Collegiate Institute, Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School, Pickering High School, Leaside High School, St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School, Grand River Collegiate Institute, St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School, Kingston Secondary School, Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy, Earl of March Secondary School, Cobourg Collegiate Institute and Chippewa Secondary School.