Undefeated throughout regular and post season

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It's hard to top a provincial championship, but the Eastern Commerce senior girls hoops team found a way to do it.

And that's by winning another one - a level up.

The east Toronto basketball powerhouse won their second straight provincial hoops title - this time at the top quad-A level - with a 44-35 win over Hamilton's St. Thomas More in the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championship game Saturday in Sarnia.

Last year, the Lady Saints won the triple-A OFSAA championship.

"It was a lot more competition, a lot harder but we just played to the level of the competition," said star point guard Lee Anna Osei, speaking to The Mirror after the team was honoured by the school with an assembly on Thursday.

The Lady Saints, quite simply, were dominant at all levels this year, undefeated throughout the regular season and playoffs, and 41-3 overall if you include tournament play.

One of those three defeats was to St. Thomas More which they were quite happy to avenge in the OFSAA final.

"That game (the tournament loss) was very controversial," said Osei. "One of our key players Jenea (Barrett) went down. We didn't agree with all the calls. We left that game knowing we could beat them if we were to meet again so when we met them at OFSAA it was even better."

Fittingly, Osei and Barrett were high scorers for their team in the championship game with 15 points each.

The two knew each other before becoming teammates at Eastern Commerce, which is located at 16 Phin Ave., just south of the Danforth at Donlands Ave.

"I went to St. Francis de Sales (Catholic School) at Jane and Finch. It was down the street from Jenea's school - she went to Oakdale (Park Middle School), a couple blocks away.

"So it was a rivalry. I remembered we played them once - it was fun. That's the first time I met Jenea.

"My first year at (Eastern Commerce) was also hers but she's a year younger than me so it was really good, because we're just kind of like - 'hey, I remember you'."

For Osei, the OFSAA final marked her final high school game and she will now have to decide amongst several U.S. college scholarship offers.

For Eastern Commerce the road to the OFSAA final also led through another Hamilton school with a 57-37 win over Westdale. Eastern Commerce salted that game away with an 11-1 fourth quarter.

Barrett led the way with 24 points with Ange Mbikay and Lesha Dunn each contributing 13 points.

QUARTERFINAL: Eastern Commerce 62, Notre Dame 46: Jenea Barrett 22, Jody Brown 13.

2nd PRELIM: Eastern Commerce 64, Mount Carmel 36: Jenea Barrett 21.

1st PRELIM: Eastern Commerce 67, Sacred Heart 32: Lee Anna Osei 24, Jenea Barrett 21.

"We played our best five games of the season," commented Saints coach Kareem Griffin.

Eastern Commerce won its Toronto District School Board (TDSB) city title 58-43 over Birchmount Park CI and its city semifinal 54-38 over Etobicoke CI.

It won its south region championship 73-43 over Jarvis CI, the south semi 59-43 over Lawrence Park and south quarterfinal 64-23 over West Toronto.

During the regular season the Lady Saints went 10-0, outscoring opponents (by more than a three-to-one margin) 790-253.

"From our championship team last year, we had seven girls returning. They just knew the deal. They knew what we're coming in for, we're trying to repeat. There was more of a focus this year than any other that I've coached these girls," said Griffin, who has coached at the school for six years, including the last four with the current team.