(The Durham Playground, Oshawa, On) ONL-X defeats St. Laurent 82-69 to capture their first NSC National Title
ONL-X – Jason Sache 2023 F (#23)
NSC National Championship Most Outstanding Player (MOP) Jason Sache rarely left the court in the playoffs, and for good reason. At 6’3” he’ll never be the tallest guy on the court, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a stronger high school basketball player—or one with more heart, for that matter. Sache has the frame of a grown man, and used that to bully St. Laurent bigs into submission during the NSC Finals. Between his frame and his hustle, Sache could not be contained on the glass on either end of the floor. Of course, that isn’t to say that he’s just a rebounder—no, he scores in bunches. Sache led ONL-X in scoring by a mile with 24 points in the game, all from inside the arc. If there isn’t room to get a shot off, he’ll make room. Not only does Sache have the build of a player several years older than himself, but he also has the mind of one. His patience and game sense combined with his hustle and strength propelled him to an MOP performance.
ONL-X #23 Jason Sache
ONL-X – Yann Aphely 2025 F (#33)
ONL-X big man Yann Aphely was the tallest player on the court in the NSC Finals, but he displayed the skill set of a guard. The 6’6” sophomore has the versatility to use his size inside to block shots and score at the rim, but also bring up the ball and trigger a catch-and-shoot three. He did all of that and more for the ONL-X championship-winning team during his 11-point performance. Aphely scored a three in the first quarter to force opposing defenders to step outside the arc and guard him from deep, which opened up lanes for him and his teammates. With a full two years until he graduates, expect Aphely to continue to grow—in his height and his game—into one of the top prospects in his class.
St. Laurent – Aven Allana 2026 PG (#11)
Aven Allana fought tooth-and-nail to keep St. Laurent in the game during the NSC National Championship game against ONL-X. The freshman guard led his Montreal, Quebec-based team to a handful of comebacks on the day. Allana often plays a floor general role for St. Laurent, bringing up the ball and commanding the offence. Some players enjoy doing that. But, it’s clear that Allana is a scorer at heart—or better yet, a shooter. He knocked down six threes in the game, with nine of his 11 fourth quarter points coming from behind the arc en route to 20 points in the game. Allana’s shooting ability is unique from most other shooters in the tournament because of how comfortably he can create his own looks. A step-back here, a crossover and a step-in there and when you throw a quick release catch-and-shoot in the mix as well, it’s near impossible to defend Allana outside the arc. Unfortunately for opposing defenders, he also has a mid range shot in his repertoire, which he showed a flash of when he faked a three and stepped inside the arc to settle for the long two—his only points not from three in the game.
St. Laurent – Emrick Janvier G (#2)
St. Laurent guard Emrick Janvier has an explosive first step that makes him extremely difficult to deal with in a man-to-man defence. Pair that with a reliable shooting stroke that forced ONL-X defenders to guard him at the perimeter and the ability to finish strong at the rim, and you’re left with one of the NSC’s most elite slashing guards. In a game where Aven Allana did the bulk of the scoring for St. Laurent, Janvier took advantage of his opportunities with the ball in his hands, contributing an efficient 10 points for the NSC National Championship silver medalists.
Photos courtesy: fifisvisuals
