OUA Men's Basketball Roundup (Nov. 20)
November 14, 2017
Ottawa 53 Carleton 74
OTTAWA, ON – The Ravens and the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees traded punches in the early moments of what seemed like a tight affair, but Carleton managed to definitively pull ahead in the second quarter and never look back en route to a 74-53 victory on Tuesday night.
Third-year point guard Munis Tutu (Windsor, ON) had his best regular season game as a Raven, cashing in 17 points, hitting three threes while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out six assists.
GAME FLOW:
The Gee-Gees put the Ravens on the ropes early thanks to a quick three-pointer by guard Calvin Epistola and a jumper by Sean Stoqua that put Ottawa ahead 7-2 in the first two and a half minutes. Tutu calmly responded by hitting a three and scoring nine straight points for the Ravens to give Carleton its first lead of the game. Guard Yasiin Joseph (Ottawa, ON) followed Tutu’s example by nailing a three of his own minutes later before TJ Lall (Cambridge, ON) hit a free throw at the end of the first quarter to put Carleton up 17-14.
Sophomore center Eddie Ekiyor (Ottawa, ON) was his usual and steady self, banging down low in the post and attracting double teams from Ottawa’s defenders. Ekiyor used his footwork to convert two baby hooks inside to boost Carleton’s lead to 26-21 at the 6:25 mark of the second. Minutes later Ekiyor slammed home another two points on a vicious dunk off a fast-break feed from Tutu. Lall canned two more from three-point land before the halftime horn sounded with Carleton ahead 36-23.
Tutu got some much-needed rest in the third-quarter and Joseph took this as an opportunity to go to work. Joseph scored 11 of his game-high 21 points thanks to an array of drives to the basket that resulted in him finishing through contact, getting to the line, or stopping on a dime for pull-up jumpers. With Joseph at the helm of the offence, Carleton entered the fourth leading 60-43.
Head coach Dave Smart began reaching into his bench in the fourth quarter. TJ Lall played 27 big minutes overall for the Ravens and Stanley Mayambo (Fredericton, NB) checked into the game for the first time in the final ten minutes. Mayambo finished a nice layup in the lane off a hop-step that solidified a final score of 74-53.
Source: goravens.ca
November 15, 2017
Ryerson 82 Guelph 57
GUELPH, Ont. - A one-off road trip saw the Ryerson Rams showcase their offence, with six players putting up double digits in an 82-57 victory over the Guelph Gryphons on Wednesday night. The Rams’ second consecutive win sees them improve to a 4-2 record on the season.
While Keevon Small (Montreal, Que.) led the charge with a 21 point performance, the Rams were scoring consistently through their roster to continue a trend seen in their previous win over the McMaster Marauders. Small was followed by Myles Charvis (Mississauga, Ont.) and Tanor Ngom (Dakar, Senegal) with 15 and 12 points respectively, while Warsame Mohamed (Toronto, Ont.), JV Mukama (Hamilton, Ont.), and Chase Vassell (Pickering, Ont.) would each put up 10. These six players accounted for 78 of Ryerson’s 82 points.
The Rams’ offensive numbers were complimented throughout the game by a tight defensive strategy, choking the Gryphons into some frantic shots. Jordan Sobot (Burlington, Ont.) and Daniel Dooley (Burlington, Ont.) were able to find some success in these high pressure situations, putting up 12 and 11 points respectively.
However, the Rams capitalized heavily on missed opportunities, claiming 26 defensive rebounds and putting up six blocks to keep the Gryphons from edging closer. The loss sees the Gryphons fall to a 1-5 record on the season, having scored their first win last week over the York Lions.
Aside from the strong individual scoring presence seen throughout the Rams lineup, the team is showing great chemistry as a unit. With the team still settling into their new configuration early in the season, some tricky plays showed the direction the team is heading. A Vassell offensive rebound going to Mukama for a behind the back feed to Ngom for the dunk in a quick play was possibly the defining moment of the team really coming together with great strength.
Source: ryersonrams.ca
November 17, 2017
Western 62 Ottawa 67
In a tough stretch of five games in eight days, the Gee-Gees have found themselves in all close games to this point. An early-afternoon matchup with the Western Mustangs proved no different as the Gee-Gees ground out a 67-62 win at home on Friday.
It was a low-scoring affair through the first half, after the Mustangs outscored the Gee-Gees by a score of 14-11 through the first quarter, the Gee-Gees rallied to take a 30-28 lead into the second half.
While both teams traded punches, the Mustangs looked to secure a solid lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Gee-Gees were able to find their offensive rhythm and secure the win in the final frame.
Fifth-year guard/forward Kenny Jean-Louis provided essential energy on the defensive end, and had his best offensive game of the season so far. Jean-Louis led the team with 16 points, and also pulled down seven rebounds.
“Coach told me that I need to be prepared when my number is called,” said Jean-Louis, who starred for Cape Breton last season. “Some nights it might just be rebounding or defending, but today some guys were struggling on offence, so Coach told me to get buckets and play aggressive, so that’s what I did.”
Jean-Louis hit a beautiful arching three-pointer in the fourth quarter that helped his team pull away. Another three-pointer by Calvin Epistola ensured the momentum swing was there to stay for the Gee-Gees.
“We gutted it out," said head coach James Derouin, noting how much the team is missing star forward Brody Maracle.
“We’re having a hard time locating someone to pick up the slack, Kenny did it today, but we had other guys fall off. In the OUA, a win is a win and Western’s a tough team, but we still have a long way to go.”
On Saturday the Gee-Gees will face a tough Windsor Lancers team that is only a year removed from being a top-four team in the OUA. A win in the final game of the stretch will mean a lot heading into the last two weekends before the exam break.
“I think the chemistry will come with time, I’m not too worried,” said Jean-Louis. “These games against good teams like Western will help us in the long run.”
Source: geegees.ca
Laurentian 89 McMaster 67
The Voyageurs were able to add another win to their collection tonight in Hamilton after their 89-67 victory over the McMaster Marauders.
Typically known for their 3 point game strength, the team struggled tonight from beyond the arc shooting 27.3%, resorting to the paint where they dominated inside. Kadre Gray and Nelson Yenguefinished strong in the key with 22 and 20 points respectively. Gray also had 5 rebounds in the game.
Another key to the Voyageurs' triumph was their ability to finish at the foul line. The team visited the charity stripe 25 times, connecting on 20 of their attempts for an 80% success rate.
Miles Seward was the top scorer for the Marauders with 26 points.
Source: luvoyageurs.com
Lakehead 65 Algoma 73
The Lakehead men’s basketball team (0-5) lost on the road to the Algoma Thunderbirds (2-5) tonight 73-65.
The Thunderwolves pushed a promising lead in the first quarter that gave them a 21-16 advantage after the first ten minutes. Lakehead struggled to score in the second, only putting up 9 points compared to Algomas 18.
Trailing 34-30 at half, the Wolves continued to battle in the third but couldn’t seem to take back the lead. After closing a 15 point deficit in the fourth, the Wolves ran out of time and ultimately lost 73-65.
Lequan Cseri-Hylton led the Wolves with 22 points, hitting 4 threes and Nahshon Hurst was big on the boards with 14 rebounds.
Source: thunderwolves.ca
Queen’s 75 Waterloo 87
It was Think Pink night at the PAC and the Warriors put on a show earning their first win of the season, topping the visiting Queen's Gaels 87-75.
"I was happy with our effort and compete level tonight," said Head Coach Justin Gunter. "We were able to execute in the fourth quarter against a good team and buckle down on the defensive side for a big win."
Five different Warriors hit double digits as it was a full team effort in the victory. Waterloo drilled 10 shots from downtown compared to just five for the Gaels while the black and gold also out rebounded the visitors 37-31.
Leading the way was Nedim Hodzic (Waterloo/Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary) who put up a game high 22 points, including 16 in the second half. Hodzic was also in beast mode on the boards with an astounding 15 rebounds.
Simon Petrov (Waterloo/Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary) was also a big part of the win with his best game of the year putting up 18. Just Hardy and David Ramon Prados (Madrid/Virgen de Atocha (North Platte College)) had 15 and 14 points respectively with the duo combining for six of Waterloo's 10 three-pointers. The other Warrior catching fire from outside was Justin Malnerich (Cambridge/St. Benedict's Catholic Secondary School) who gave Coach Gunter some quality minutes off the bench. Malnerich finished with 11 points, nine of those coming from beyond the arc.
Source: athletics.uwaterloo.ca
York 75 Laurier 87
WATERLOO, Ont. (November 18, 2017) – The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s basketball team jumped out to an early lead and stayed composed through a late comeback attempt to defeat the York Lions 87-75 in an entertaining affair Friday night at the Athletic Complex in Waterloo.
Coming off strong showings against some of Canada’s top-ranked teams, the Hawks (3-3) came out of the gates confidently, building up an 18-7 lead, a margin that would be trimmed slightly to 24-16 after the first quarter.
The purple and gold continued to be the front-runners, pestering the Lions with aggressive, in-your-face defence. The Hawks held York to a lowly 33 percent shooting on the night while holding a 47-38 edge on the glass.
Although the Hawks sustained the lead throughout the first half, Head Coach Justin Serresse lamented the fact that they were unable to stretch the lead when they had the opportunity.
By not being able to extend that lead, Serresse commented “we gave them life, they were getting to the paint, gaining momentum".
Using that added momentum, the Lions made their run late in the third and early in the fourth to get to within two. Desperately needing a big shot, Matt Minutillo (Brantford, Ont.) knocked down a huge three-pointer to restore some level of calm for the Hawks.
Serresse admitted that while “the team is still learning how to win and close out games”, he was impressed with his team’s ability to get stops late. A stretch of four or five stops in a row on the defensive end allowed the purple and gold to pull away late as the Lions were forced into a scenario where they had to start fouling and putting Laurier on the line.
First-year big man Ben Stevens (Halifax, N.S.) had his best performance as a Golden Hawk Friday night, leading the team with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Serresse had challenged Stevens to be a difference-maker on the defensive end by using his length around the basket to change shots and grab rebounds above the rim. Serresse said that “he needs to get rebounds to get him energized,” and that translated to getting involved on offence as well.
Tevaun Kokko (Markham, Ont.) and Minutillo each had 14 for the purple and gold.
Josiah Riley (Brampton, Ont.) led the Lions with a game-high 19 points in a losing effort.
Source: laurierathletics.com
Nipissing 57 Brock 90
The No. 2 ranked Brock University men's basketball team rolled past the Nipissing Lakers by the score of 90-57 Friday night at the Bob Davis Gymnasium.
The Badgers opened the contest with one of the best starts in the program's history as they led 17-0 midway through the first quarter, and extended their lead to 36-2 with six minutes left in the second quarter, on route to their 12th straight victory.
Brock had six players in double figures led by Daniel Cayer who finished with 18 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists. Kascius Small-Martin contributed with 16 points off the bench, while Dani Elgadi (12 points, 6 rebounds) and Cassidy Ryan (12 points, 3 rebounds) both added 12 points. Rounding out the Brock leaders were Johneil Simpson and Godsman Kwakwah who chipped in with 11 and 10 points respectively.
With his 12 points tonight, Elgadi moves in to sixth all-time in Brock career scoring (2396) surpassing former great and Brock Hall of Famer Gord Wood (2388).
For the game, Brock shot 43.0% (34-79) from the field, 35.5% (11-for-31) from three-point range and 91.7% (11-12) from the charity stripe. Nipissing went 17-55 (30.9%) from the floor, 3-22 (13.6%) from beyond the arc and 20-for-28 (71.4%) from the free throw line.
Source: gobadgers.ca
Windsor 83 Carleton 97
OTTAWA, ON – The Ravens endured several comeback attempts from the Windsor Lancers, but ultimately staved off a potential upset and grinded out 97-83 victory.
Second-year center Eddie Ekiyor (Ottawa, ON) scored a game-high 25 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field and 11-of-16 from the free throw line, while also hauling in 13 rebounds (9 offensive) in yet another double-double performance.
GAME FLOW:
The Lancers entered the game with a chip on their shoulder, determined to hush a rowdy crowd at the Ravens’ Nest. Back-to-back three-pointers by Lucas Orlita and another three by Mike Rocca helped Windsor forge an early 9-3 lead. Carleton head coach Dave Smart answered by calling a 30-second timeout to draw up a play that would help get his squad back on track. Ekiyor answered the call by scoring six points in the quarter after the timeout, as well as third-year guard Yasiin Joseph (Ottawa, ON) and fourth-year guard Mitch Wood (Guelph, ON), who each hit threes in the last 28 seconds of the first to give Carleton a 30-21 lead entering the second.
Joseph showed no signs of taking a back seat in the second quarter after hitting two threes in the opening frame, adding three more to his stat-line by the time the halftime horn sounded. Joseph shot five-of-nine from deep in the opening half on his way to piling up 17 first-half points to fuel Carleton’s 57-44 lead.
The second-half began with the Ravens nursing a double-digit lead, but Windsor wasn’t about to give in. Consecutive scores by Anthony Zrvnar and Orlita reduced the deficit to 57-48. With the lead under siege, Carleton’s bench stepped up. TJ Lall (Cambridge, ON), Wood and Mitch Jackson (Regina, SK) ensured that the Ravens recovered from a sluggish start to the half and paved the way for Carleton to enter the final quarter ahead 77-59.
Ekiyor got things started in the fourth with a determined effort in the paint that earned him one of his many trips to the free throw line in the game. After converting on both attempts, Carleton had a 20-point lead with 9:50 left, but Windsor wouldn’t give in. The Lancers staged one final run that came within striking distance after threes by Rocca and Orlita brought Windsor to within 85-73 with just under five minutes left. Sensing the push, third-year guard Marcus Anderson (Brampton, ON) hit a dagger from three that put Carleton ahead for good 95-81 with two minutes remaining.
Source: goravens.ca
November 18, 2017
Toronto 63 Guelph 70
GUELPH, Ont. - Saturday afternoon at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, the Gryphons men's basketball team picked up a 70-63 victory over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. The Gryphons controlled the game on the glass, out-rebounding the Varsity Blues 44-25 and also relied on some solid three-point shooting, going a collective 9-21 (43%) from beyond the arc. With the win, the Gryphons improve to 2-5 on the season while U of T falls to 2-2.
"There was some carry over from our last game, where we knew we had to step up our intensity on the glass and on defence," said Gryphons head coach Chris O'Rourke. "You could see it in the first two minutes of the game. The guys came out focused."
Guelph opened the game on a 13-4 run to take a six point lead after the opening quarter. Little would separate the two teams over the next few quarters, but a pair of late three pointers from Taylor Boers and Jonathan Wallace would help the Gryphs seal the win on their home court. Three different Gryphon players scored in double figures, including Boers who came off the bench to score 10 points (3-7 from three point range). Wallace and Drew Walford both finished with 13 points.
"We were balanced offensively today, but most importantly, we did a nice job on the glass. Well need to carry that type of effort with us into next weekend," added O'Rourke. The Grayphons racked up 17 offensive rebounds on the day and also impressed at the defensive end, limiting U of T to 37% shooting from the floor.
Source: gryphons.ca
Lakehead 65 Algoma 73
The Lakehead men’s basketball team (0-6) lost, 73-65, tonight in game two against the Algoma Thunderbirds (3-5) in Sault Ste. Marie, ON.
The Thunderwolves started the game well with a solid 37- 28 lead over Algoma at the half. Algoma turned it around in the third quarter outscoring the Wolves 25-17 and Lakehead continued to have trouble sinking baskets in the fourth quarter, only scoring 11 compared to Algomas 20.
Down 9, Nick Burke hit a quick three with 50 seconds left on the clock, bringing it to 69-63 but in the end the Wolves ultimately ran out of time.
Nick Burke scored 18 points for the Wolves tonight and Darnell Curtain had 11 points with 9 being from behind the arc.
Source: thunderwolves.ca
York 66 Waterloo 77
Simon Petrov (Waterloo/Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary) capped off a tremendous home weekend putting up 27 points as his Warriors defeated the York Lions 77-66 for their second straight win.
Waterloo shot 41% from the field compared to just 30.9% for the visiting Lions. The Warriors also had York's number on the boards, winning the rebound battle 47-40.
Petrov was very efficient in his offensive attack going 10-for-15 from the field while making 11 trips to the line, hitting seven of those. The second year Accounting and Financial Management student also had six assists in the win.
Nedim Hodzic (Waterloo/Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary) put up a double-double, tallying 21 points and a game high 15 rebounds. Hodzic made one more trip to the charity stripe than Petrov, going 11-for-12 from the line.
David Ramon Prados (Madrid/Virgen de Atocha (North Platte College)) was the next best Warriors, also putting up a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
For York it was Chevon Brown who led his team with 17 points while Gianmarco Luciani had 14 off the bench.
Source: athletics.uwaterloo.ca
Queen’s 77 Laurier 76
WATERLOO, Ont. (November 18, 2017) - The Queen's Gaels (4-2) defeated the Laurier Golden Hawks (3-4) in a tightly contested matchup 77-76 on Saturday night in Waterloo.
GAME FLOW
Mat Elock (Waterdown, Ont.) scored the first basket for Queen's after a nice assist by Tanner Graham (Kingston, Ont,). Tanner Grahamalso locked down the paint, recording a block early on in the game. Laurier was still impressive, sinking back-to-back 3's to secure their early lead. Tanner Graham managed to pull away from the Golden Hawks with a big three late in the first. Jesse Graham (Kingston, Ont.) also got his own block, which got the Tricolour going in transition for a layup by Quinton Gray (Richmond Hill, Ont). Jaz Bains (Brampton, Ont) sank a last-minute shot to give them the lead entering the second. Queen's lead 25-19 at the end of the 1st quarter.
Mike Shoveller (Arnprior, Ont) opened the second with a nice layup off a dish by Gray, followed soon by a jump shot by Tanner Graham. Laurier capitalized off turnovers by Queen's and closed the gap. The Golden Hawks closed the gap to five points, mid-way through the second, as the Gaels struggled to score. Sammy Ayisi (Toronto) found the basket on a layup, to help break the cold shooting streak for Queen's. Both teams found their rhythm, offensively again, keeping the game close till halftime. A second chance basket gave Laurier the lead, late in the second, but Gray sank a last-minute layup to end the half. The Gaels kept the lead entering halftime, 44-41.
The Gaels started the second half with a triple by Tanner Graham, who led the team in points. Laurier did their part on the boards, but it was not enough to close the margin. Quinton Gray sank a jump shot, midway through the third, to put the Gaels' lead to double digits. Laurier's defence were what helped them close the margin, as they capitalized on steals. Queen's still managed to hold the lead at the end of the 3rd quarter, leading 60-55.
Laurier quickly tied the game up early in the fourth, from a layup, followed by a 3-pointer in transition. The Tricolour needed a timeout to recalibrate and stop the scoring run of Laurier. Jesse Graham found Bains in the paint for a layup to put them ahead again, and Bains would return the favour by finding Jesse Graham for his own layup. Shots started to fall for both teams, and the Golden Hawks managed to tie the game once again with five minutes remaining. Laurier took the lead with a pair of free throws, but Gray would not allow any momentum, as he got a 3-pointer to go down. It was 72-72 with four minutes left as both teams looked to find any holes the others' defence. It would be Bains, who found Jesse Graham once again for a big layup to pull ahead with two minutes left. Laurier would soon tie it up with a minute and a half remaining. Tanner Graham the stepped up as he sank a big 3-pointer to give the Gaels a much need three-point lead. Laurier did not have enough to bounce back, and the Gaels would come out victorious.
The final score was Queen's 77 and Laurier 76.
Source: gogaelsgo.com
Nipissing 74 McMaster 68
The Nipissing Lakers men's basketball team capped off their weekend road trip with a win, earning a split away from home,
Friday night, the Lakers lost 90-57 to the Brock Badgers, one of the country's top teams, while on Saturday, they rebounded and came away with a 74-68 win over McMaster in Hamilton.
In their first game, the Lakers took on one of the top teams in the country in the Badgers and were unable to keep pace with the undefeated team based out of St. Catherines.
The Lakers dropped a 90-57 contest to put them at 2-2 before they closed out the weekend Saturday.
Jaaden Lewis led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcus Lewis added 19 points and eight rebounds Friday night vs. Brock.
On Saturday in Hamilton, the Lakers faced McMaster and came away with a solid victory, moving to 3-2 on the season.
Jaaden Lewis had a big game, leading the way with 27 points, Ismael Kaba had 17 and Marvin Ngonadi had a double-double, scoring 14 points and adding 12 rebounds in the victory.
Source: nulakers.ca
Windsor 73 Ottawa 91
The Gee-Gees men’s basketball team’s offence exploded in the second half on Saturday, leading them to a 91-73 win over a tough Windsor Lancers team.
In a rollercoaster of just over a week, the Gee-Gees have played five games, including a trip for two games in Waterloo, a thrilling Bytown Battle matchup with Carleton, and a final two home games to close the stretch.
Feeling the effects of the grueling stand, the team came out slightly flat through the first two quarters. Windsor was able to control the pace with their quick transition and three-point heavy game, the Gee-Gees trailed for most of the first half, but were able to bring the game to a 35-35 tie at halftime.
The second half was a completely different game for the Gee-Gees, they came out aggressive, defending and hitting their shots. In the fourth quarter, the Ottawa lead climbed over 20 points, but Windsor was able to close the game down 18 points on some last minute free-throws.
The Gee-Gees had four players score in double-digits on the night, including massive performances from fourth-year point guard Sean Stoqua and fifth-year forward Jean Emmanuel Pierre-Charles.
Stoqua led the Gee-Gees with a season-high 21 points, along with five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Pierre-Charles continued his dominant play with his second consecutive double-double racking up 20 points, 11 rebounds, and one block on the night.
“A win like this shows a lot of character,” said Pierre-Charles. “Everyone knows that we’ve been struggling a bit offensively, but we’re a good shooting team and we showed that in the second half. We have to execute and trust our system, when we play together, beautiful things happen.”
Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin echoed Pierre-Charles’ sentiments, stressing how pleased he was that the team finally balanced their strong defence with some firepower.
“I thought we did a really good job,” said Derouin. “Our defense has been solid throughout, but it was our offensive aggression in the second half that was so different. It’s not really about making shots for us, it’s about taking them with confidence. Tonight was good, they got to see the ball go down.”
On a historical note, Derouin earned his 200th overall U SPORTS win after taking the helm of the Gee-Gees in 2010. He is currently ranked second in winning percentage among active coaches in the nation.
Source: geegees.ca
Laurentian 55 Brock 71
The No. 2 Brock University men's basketball team defeated the No. 8 Laurentian Voyageurs by the score of 71-55 Saturday night at the Bob Davis Gymnasium.
Laurentian jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, before the Badgers answered with an 18-0 run to take a 20-6 lead early in the second quarter. Brock held a 30-14 lead at the half.
Brock extended their lead to 21 points (42-21) midway through the third quarter and led 50-34 at the end of 30 minutes. With three minutes left in regulation, Laurentian cut the lead to nine points 64-55. Brock closed the contest with a 6-0 run, on route to their 13th straight victory.
The Badgers were led by Dani Elgadi who finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Also in double figures were Tyler Brown (16 points, 6 assists), Cassidy Ryan (12 points, five rebounds) and Johneil Simpson (11 points, four rebounds).
For the game Brock shot 44.1% (30-68) from the field, 35.3% (6-17) from beyond the arc and 62.5% (5-8) from the free throw line. Laurentian shot 33.3% (23-69) from the floor, 18.8% (3-16) from three-point land and 66.7% (6-9) from the charity stripe.
Source: gobadgers.ca
Western 61 Carleton 82
OTTAWA, ON – The Ravens overcame a poor shooting performance to outlast the Western Mustangs and muscle out an 82-61 victory on Saturday night at the Ravens’ Nest.
Second-year center Eddie Ekiyor (Ottawa, ON) scored a game-high 20 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line, while also snagging 17 rebounds and swatting aside a shot as well.
GAME FLOW:
Like the Windsor Lancers on Friday night, the Mustangs came out firing on all cylinders and put the Ravens on the defensive early by racing out to an 8-6 lead after Marko Kovac hit a three-pointer to put Western ahead at the 6:48 mark. Carleton responded by finding Ekiyor in the paint, who hit Western with an array of post-moves that forced the Mustangs to put the 6-foot-9 forward at the free throw line where he calmly hit two shots. Fifth-year forward Cam Smythe (Vancouver, BC) sunk a fadeaway to give Carleton a 17-15 lead entering the second quarter.
Smythe picked up where he left by hitting a three early in the second. Guard Marcus Anderson (Brampton, ON) flashed his defensive capabilities throughout the contest and snagged one of his four steals in the game half-way through the second, resulting in a fast-break and an eventual Mustangs foul. Anderson’s energetic play sparked a quarter that saw Carleton outscore Western 22-10 and enter the third ahead 39-25.
Ekiyor scored all of Carleton’s first five points to begin the second-half. Ekiyor’s aggressive brand of play proved to be contagious as Mitch Wood (Guelph, ON) and TJ Lall (Cambridge, ON) hauled in 12 and seven rebounds off the bench, respectively. A three by Lall late in the quarter gave the Ravens a 60-44 lead entering the final frame.
The Mustangs scraped to within 13 points twice in the fourth quarter, but were unable to come any closer thanks to a scrappy defensive approach by Carleton that held Western to just 26.3% shooting from the field.
Source: goravens.ca