It has become this city's most recent home of champions, a cinderblock House of Pain for visitors in university basketball.
The Raven's Nest at Carleton University had really only become a party palace in the last couple of years as the Ravens became the class of Canadian university basketball and now, just like that, it's time to move on.
The Raven's Nest hosted its final varsity action last night, ending 41 years as the home of Carleton's men's and women's basketball and fencing teams.
The Ravens moved on in style last night, racking up their 45th-straight win at the Nest and adding to their CIS-record winning streak which now stands at 62 games.
Led by Mike Smart's 24 points, the Ravens beat the Guelph Gryphons 84-75 and ran their OUA record to 12-0.
"It's a great place and I'm going to miss it," Smart said of the Raven's Nest, renamed the Norm Fenn Gymnasium before the game in honor of the long-time men's basketball coach who passed away in November. It will now be used for extramurals and OFSAA events.
"But a basketball court is a basketball court, and you've got to play where ever it is."
The Ravens will bring their two CIS national championship banners and their winning streak to the new Alumni Hall and Sports Centre, which will open Feb. 8 when they host the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
It wasn't easy last night as Guelph battled back from a 46-41 deficit at halftime to take a 51-50 lead seven minutes into the second half.
That's when Osvaldo Jeanty got on fire for the Ravens.
He pumped in 16 of his 23 points in the final half, including a pair of critical three-pointers that boosted the Ravens to a 65-57 lead.
"We were a little disappointed with the effort tonight," said Smart. "We didn't defend that well in the first half. We didn't stick to the game plan, but we got the win. That should be motivation for us to get better."
On the women's side, the Gryphons defeated the Ravens 61-48, dropping Carleton to 2-10.
GREAT MOMENTS
The squat cement building just west of Bronson Ave., which opened in 1964, has been the stage for the shining moments in Carleton basketball, the biggest being:
- Last spring, the Ravens won their first OUA championship at the Nest with a 68-59 win over McMaster.
- Also in 2004, they broke the CIS and OUA regular- and post-season winning streak with their 47th straight. The old mark was held by Victoria (1981-85).
- Director of athletics Drew Love presented the members of the 2003 team with their championship rings, the first such ceremony in the university's history.
- On Jon Love Night in 1978, the five-time OUA all-star broke the OUA scoring record.
- On Bill Holmes Night in 1985, he broke the OUA scoring record and the Ravens clinched a playoff spot.
- Last year, Ravens coach Dave Smart won his 100th career OUA/CIS game in less than five years.
chris.stevenson@ott.sunpub.com
