STREAKING BLUES POUND MARAUDERS 77-58
The Blues continued their winning ways in Thunder Bay the following night as Dwayne Grant poured in 25 points in a 72-67 victory over the Lakehead Thunderwolves. Grant, a 6'2" second-year guard was a sizzling 11-for-14 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free throw line in his 30 minutes of play. Kiraan Posey, sixth in OUA scoring with 16.58 points per game, led Lakehead with 22 points and three steals. Toronto is now 11-2 in league play, tied with Carleton and Ottawa with 22 points in the OUA East, though the Blues have played one more game. Sergautis had 21 points, while Dwayne Grant chipped in a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, as the Blues kicked off their 3-0 week with a 79-64 win over the Ryerson Rams at Kerr Hall. Duane Benjamin led all Rams scorers with 18 points, hitting four of eight from long range.
The Brock Badgers stayed atop of the OUA West with a pair of wins this weekend, including a gritty 67-60 come-from-behind victory over the York Lions Saturday night at the Tait Mackenzie Centre, the 450th of head coach Ken Murray's illustrious career. Reigning CIS player of the Year Kevin Stienstra scored 19 points with 13 rebounds (10 on the defensive glass), while Brad Rootes added 16 points for Brock. York took early control of the game and led most of the way before the Badgers got hot from deep late in the second half. Rootes hit a three-pointer to give Brock a 54-53 lead before Scott Murray, the son of Brock coach, took control. Murray hit some crucial threes down the stretch and then iced the game with two free throws to complete a furious rally for the 10th-ranked Badgers. Guard Tut Ruach had 16 points to lead the Lions, who were missing OUA scoring leader Dan Eves (22.33 ppg), out with a broken hand. York was coming off an impressive 71-51 dismantling of the Guelph Gryphons Friday. Rohan Steen lad the Lions with 21 points, while Ruach added 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Big Man Jordan Foebel returned to the York lineup after sitting out with an injury and contributed 12 points and seven boards. J.S. Esposito and John Ross Bailey had 16 apiece for the Gryphons.
The previous night, Rootes had 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals in Brock's 78-72 OT road win over the Laurentian Voyageurs in Sudbury. Four Voyageurs were in double figures in scoring, led by Ben Palmer's 24 (and team-high nine rebounds). The teams were tied 66-66 after regulation but the disciplined Badgers hit eight of 10 free throws in the extra session to decide the game. Laurentian's tough weekend schedule began with a 59-49 loss at the hands of Guelph (9-3, tied atop the OUA West with Brock and McMaster). Aron Barigabre led the Gryphs with 23 points, while Esposito chipped in 14 for Guelph. Matt Brown paced the Voyageurs with 16 points. Laurentian falls to 3-10 in league play.
The nationally-ranked Ottawa teams got back on track this weekend after each suffering their first losses of the season last week. Five Ravens scored double digits Friday, led by J.E. Jean Marie's 14, as Carleton beat the Western Mustangs 72-61 in the Ravens Nest. Carleton led by 13 at the half and cruised to victory. Kyle Coatsworth paced the Mustangs with 17 points, while Dave Wilson had 10 points and eight rebounds. Carleton cranked it up against the visiting Lancers the following night, defeating Windsor 87-59. Ryan Bell had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Ravens, while post player Aaron Doornekamp added 15 points and seven boards.
The Gee-Gees, missing freshman point guard sensation Josh Gibson-Bascombe, who is out at least five weeks with a broken arm, won both of their games this weekend, beginning with a 59-51 victory over the Lancers. Chris Swenson led Ottawa with 13 points in what was a tremendous defensive effort from the home team. Ryan Steer and Rich Allin had 15 points each for Windsor. Ottawa also beat Western 86-69, led by Sean Peter's 20 points. The second-year guard and Ottawa native was 9-for-11 from the field and added eight rebounds. Western got 26 points from Bradley Smith. The third-ranked Ravens and fourth-ranked Gees-Gees meet for the first time this season Tuesday night. Both are 11-1 in league play, sitting atop the OUA East.
In other action around the OUA, Graham Jarman scored 17 points to help the Waterloo Warriors defeat the RMC Paladins 85-56 Friday in Waterloo. Nathan Tucker had 21 point for RMC. Jarman added 14 more in an 84-75 Warriors win over the Queen's Golden Gaels the following night, while Waterloo's Michael Davis led all scorers with 23 points. The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks also had wins over the Paladins and Gaels. Wade Currie and Brandon Gorman scored 14 each in Laurier's 80-56 defeat of Queen's Friday, while Andrew Mackay had 17 points as the Hawks downed the Paladins 85-65 Saturday. Posey kept up the hot hand for Lakehead as he scored 20 points and added eight rebounds in the Thunderwolves convincing 80-65 win over Ryerson Friday. The Rams' Igor Bakovic had a monster game, scoring 22 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds. McMaster bounced back from their surprising home loss to Toronto by dumping Ryerson 101-63. Martin Ajayi led the Marauders with 19 points, while forward Adam Steiner chipped in 17 more to go along with six rebounds.
(Photo: York guard Tut Ruach blows by Kevin Stienstra at the Tait Mackenzie Centre. Photo by Andrew Craig.)