Carleton Ravens celebrate first dual basketball titles since 1985

The Carleton University community is celebrating after their basketball teams both won national championships in Atlantic Canada over the weekend.

"It feels unreal," Ravens centre Grant Shephard said at the Ottawa airport on Monday after the men's team arrived home. "I think we were working this hard for it the whole year but to actually go and accomplish it, it’s like it's a dream."

The men's team beat St. Francis Xavier University 109-104 in double overtime, overcoming a 23-point deficit in the process. The women beat the Queen's Gaels 71-59. The men's tournament was held in Halifax and the women's was in Sydney, N.S.

The victories mark the first time since 1985 that the same university won both the men's and women's titles.

The men arrived in Ottawa on Monday afternoon. The women are scheduled to arrive late Monday night.

"It feels amazing," Ravens forward Emma KieseKamp said from Halifax airport. "I think that we’re all excited to go home … Go back to Carleton. Celebrate with the men's team. Celebrate with our family and friends that we haven't been able to see since we’ve been here.

"We're all on a high right now. We're all feeling really good."

Allan Buri, a Carleton student and a massive Ravens fan, called the men's game "one of the greatest U-Sports games to ever be played.

"To be down by 23, to have half of St. FX's points, to come back, that comes down to just straight championship DNA. You got the best program, the best coach, the best point guard, and that's what happens."

Ravens points guard Aiden Warnholtz, expressed how special this championship is.

 "I think this year, the team has gone through a lot of ups and downs, more than maybe in previous years," he said. "With some extra doubt maybe. We lost a little more games than we usually do or have in the past in the regular season. So I feel like to get this one at the end, it feels a little extra special."

 Keith Gough, the owner of Performance Factory Basketball Camp in Ottawa, praised Carleton's dominance.

 "I've been around the sport for over 30 years. I've never seen anything like Carleton. They have a really good recipe. They’ve got strong structure. And it's almost like rinse and repeat year after year."

 This is the Carleton men's team's fourth straight title, 11th in 12 seasons and 17^th overall. The women's team last won the title in 2018.

"It always feels good, especially, you know, every year I feel like it gets harder and there's more people doubting us. More people waiting for us to lose. And then it always feels good to prove people wrong," Ravens forward Elliot Bailey said.

Taffe Charles, the Carleton Ravens Head Coach, said, "We have a lot to be proud of at Carleton. I mean, again, I think both programs work very hard. Both programs pull for each other. And it's really awesome to see that both of us can celebrate the same time."

Buri, the Ravens fan, called them "the most dominant team in U.S. and Canada basketball."

"That comes down to the program. It comes down to the coaching. And I’m very proud to be a Raven when I see that."