CIS men's basketball Friday roundup: Perimeter shooting aids Vikes in win over T-Birds, UVic clinches Canada West Pacific Division title

WOLFVILLE, NS - The crowd of 900 plus gave Tim Kendrick a warm homecoming welcome for the former Horton High School coach but the crowd favourite handed his UPEI Panthers their sixth loss of the regular season.

Third year forward Owen Klassen led the Axemen with 28 points and 16 rebounds in Acadia's 90-74 thrashing of the second place Panthers. Klassen was seven for 15 from the floor; three for four from the three point line and 11 for 14 from the charity strip, giving the Axemen their first win since last weekend's two losses on the road at StFX and Cape Breton.

Klassen fell two points short of posting the game high 30 points netted by UPEI's Manock Lual, brother of former great Axemen Achual Lual. Lual posted a double-double that included 30 points and 13 rebounds.

UPEI was a dismal 16% from the free throw line in the first half, but bettered themselves with 58% in the second half.

All starting Axemen scored in double digit range including Jonathan Tull and Tyler Scott's 10 points each; Sean Stoqua's 11 points and Anthony Ashe's 16 points. UPEI's Donathan Moss added 19 points for the losing cause.

The Axemen led at the end of each quarter, posting a 40-30 halftime score and then moving out to a 11 point lead after three quarters. A seven point run late in the fourth quarter gave the Axemen a 17 point lead into the final three minutes of the game. Acadia would hold onto the lead, taking the first win of the third meeting of both teams this season.

With the 16 point win, the Axemen lead the head to head differential differential between UPEI and Acadia and will hope for a win tomorrow to take the season four game series despite the 2-2 tie in wins against each other.

Heading into the final week of the regular season, Acadia will finish this weekend off with one more game against UPEI and then head into the home stretch with a Wednesday game in Halifax against Saint Mary's and then two home games against the last place Memorial Sea-Hawks.

Source: Acadia Sports Info

TORONTO - The York University Lions men's basketball team saved its best game of the season until Friday night (Feb. 17), when it counted most, as it defeated the Queen's Gaels 89-82 at Tait McKenzie Centre to clinch the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA East.
It didn't come easy, however. They let a 23-point first quarter lead get down to three midway through the fourth quarter, but they recovered in the end and pulled out the win in exciting fashion, courtesy of some clutch late shooting from David Tyndale (Mississauga, Ont.), Richard Iheadindu (Brampton, Ont.) and Nathan Robinson (Brampton, Ont.), who accounted for 17 of the team's 19 points in the final quarter.

Tyndale led all scorers with 38 points and was lights out from beyond the arc, hitting a game-high seven long balls on the night, while Nick Tufegdzich (Tecumseh, Ont.) had one of his best games of the season, picking up a double-double on 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to go along with a game-high three blocks.

Iheadindu also reached double digits with 14 points.

Mackenzie Simpson (Ottawa) led the Gaels with 25 points and had a game-high four steals. He, along with Ryan Golden (Barrie, Ont.) and his 75 per cent shooting from beyond the arc, gave the Lions headaches all night with his clutch three pointers. Simpson hit all four of his threes in the game in the final quarter and was instrumental in the Gaels' late surge.

Simpson and Golden also tied for the team-high in rebounds with five apiece.

With the win, the Lions improve to 4-17 and will finish sixth in the OUA East regardless of their result tomorrow against the Royal Military College Paladins (0-21). They will play either the Ryerson Rams (13-8) or the Carleton Ravens (13-8) in the first round of the OUA playoffs, which begin next week.

The Lions would explode for 29 points in the first quarter and begin the frame on a 25-2 run, helped along by four three pointers from Tyndale and 11 combined points from Iheadindu and Tufegdzich.

Both teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the quarter, but a late three from Golden would cut the Lions' lead to just under 20 heading into the second quarter.

Golden would continue to provide a spark for the Gaels in the second, hitting a three to open the frame and hitting another a few minutes later that cut the Lions' lead in half to 10.

After Christian Coldea (Toronto) replied to the Gaels' outburst with his first basket of the game, the Gaels would pull to within six on back-to-back layups from Alex Weatherhill (Hamilton, Ont.), the second of which came off his own missed free throw on the previous play.

The Lions would quickly rebound, however, and restore their 10-point lead on four-straight points from Tyndale. Tyndale would then cap the quarter with yet another three and a pair of free throws, sending the Lions into halftime with a comfortable 50-37 lead.

Tyndale would continue to roll in the third, dropping a layup to open the scoring and capping the quarter with four straight points, which gave the Lions a commanding 70-55 lead heading into the fourth and final quarter.

The real star of the frame, however, was Tufegdzich, who led all players with eight points and was an absolute monster in the paint, coming up with a couple of blocks as well.

The Lions would stumble a bit early in the fourth, allowing the Gaels' to open the frame on a 9-2 run led by Simpson, who had a three pointer and five points on the drive. 

Simpson would then drain two more threes to pull the Gaels within three at 80-77 just past the midway point of the frame.

Tyndale, true to form as the team's leader, would immediately respond with back-to-back baskets, extending the Lions' lead to a comfortable seven with just a few minutes remaining to play.

Simpson would bring the Gaels to within five at 87-82 with a late three, but Tyndale and Robinson would seal the win with a pair of free throws.

All three of Robinson's points in the game came late in the fourth quarter on free throws he had to make to keep the Lions out in front. He did a lot of other good things in his 25 minutes of play that didn't show up on the scoreboard; most notably, he seemed to be a stabilizing force for the Lions throughout the game, especially when things weren't going their way.

The Lions will look to finish the season on a two-game winning streak when they play their final game of the season against the Paladins on Saturday (Feb. 18) at Tait McKenzie Centre. Tip off is set for 8pm.  

Source: York Sports Info

THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The CIS No. 2 Lakehead Thunderwolves defeated the Guelph Gryphon men’s basketball team tonight 100-78 in Thunder Bay.  The Gryphons will try and avenge the loss tomorrow night in their second game of the weekend doubleheader.

The Gryphons fall to 8-13 on the season while the Thunderwolves move to 19-2.

 A poor first quarter hindered the Gryphons tonight as Lakehead took a 26-9 first quarter lead.  Guelph battled back and outscored the Thunderwolves in the second and final quarter but it was too little too late.

Kareem Malcolm (Brampton, Ont.) led the Gryphons with 21 points while Zach Angus (Burlington, Ont.) and Dan McCarthy (Guelph, Ont.) scored 10 and 11 points respectively. 

The second game of the weekend double header gets under way tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. You can watch the game live on www.ssncanada.ca

Source: Guelph Sports Info

OTTAWA - In a game which may serve as playoff preview with the OUA postseason looming on the horizon, the Ryerson Rams rode a strong start to victory at Montpetit Hall, outgunning the Gee-Gees 79-62.

Ryerson jumped out to a huge first quarter lead on the strength of their three-point shooting and quickness. The Rams drained six long range baskets and forced five Ottawa turnovers in addition to blocking three shots. The Gees’ troubles continued in the second frame, where although they generated good scoring chances, they had difficulty finding the bottom of the twine. Ottawa shot 32 per cent in the first half, but finished the game at 46 per cent.

“We just had no urgency on defense – they took 17 threes in the first half, they took three in the second because we defended and we won the second half. We just came out flat. Part of being a young team is from time to time this happens and we just weren’t ready to go tonight“, said Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin.

Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue was the bright spot for Ottawa tonight, scoring 19 to lead the team. He had a couple of impressive dunks as he and Jordan Vig combined to patrol the paint in the second half, giving Ottawa the advantage in that department. Vikas Gill also dialled up two three-pointers to help lift the Gee-Gees to a big third quarter, but Ryerson held strong and repelled the comeback attempt in the fourth.

Aaron Best paced the Rams with 20 points as they received balanced scoring from their starting five.  Of particular menace to the Gee-Gees in the first half was Jahmal Jones who keyed up 11 first half points while distributing the ball to his open shooters.

“Jahmal in transition is an absolute monster, but we have five guys playing defence so even if he beats his guy there should be four guys waiting for him under the basket,” noted Derouin . “We just weren’t there tonight.”

Ottawa will now turn their attention to the Toronto Varsity Blues. Saturday night’s game will determine if the Gee-Gees can hang on to second place in the OUA East and clinch the all-important first round bye. The game tips off at 8 p.m. at Montpetit Hall.

Source: Ottawa Sports Info

SUDBURY, Ont, - The Laurentian Voyageurs flaunted their offensive capabilities against a helpless RMC Paladin team. Clinical, precise shooting was on the agenda from the start for the Voyageurs, and led my Manny Pasquale (Victoria, BC) were able to emerge victorious by a score of 100 - 42.

Blink and you missed it. The magnificence of Manny illuminated the Ben Avery Gymnasium as he dropped 24 points in just 7 minutes of play in the first half. Shooting a perfect 5-5 from behind the arc, and an astounding 9-11 from close range, Manny was on fire.

The Voyageurs flew out of the gates and took the game to RMC from the start. Nelson Yengue (Yaounde, CM) had an impressive first half that included a highlight reel aerial display cramming a huge dunk down the throats of the RMC defence. Yengue secured 10 points for the hosts in the first half alone, with his athleticism in the air proving to be a key asset to the Voyageur team, after securing 5 rebounds. With Pasquale and Yengue combined, Laurentian stormed to an emphatic 35-6 lead&.at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter provided more of the same. Despite resting Pasquale for the quarter, the Voyageurs continued to show excellence in their shooting, and by the end of the second quarter, they were able to take a 57-18 lead into the break for half time. This fluidity and efficiency carried over to the second half, where Manny Pasquale once again entered the scene. Pasquale played a majority of the third quarter, taking his nightly tally to 38 points&in just 14 total minutes of play, a remarkable achievement.

In the end, an all round fluent performance from the playoff bound Voyageur team led them to a 100-42 win. After such an emphatic display of shooting, not only will the fans be looking forward to seeing another strong display tomorrow evening, but will be looking for this re-found form to extend through the playoffs.

Tomorrow marks the last regular season home game for veteran players Isiah Pasquale, Mike Hull, and Mark Romalho, whose time at Laurentian will draw to an end after the conclusion of the season. Come on down to the Ben Avery Gymnasium tomorrow evening to help celebrate the contribution of these outstanding Voyageurs as they grace their home court for possibly the last time.

Laurentian University's Department of Athletics is home to 15 varsity sports teams. The Voyageurs and Lady Vees decorated history of pride and tradition includes 61 provincial championships as well as 9 national championships in 50 years of competition.

Source: Laurentian Sports Info

OTTAWA - The No. 1 nationally ranked Carleton University Ravens men’s basketball team relied on its two star players for a 99-64 win against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues Friday at the Ravens’ Nest, extending its record to 21-0.

Philip Scrubb (Richmond, B.C.) and Tyson Hinz (Ottawa) combined for more points in the first half than the entire Varsity Blues team, knocking down 19 and 18 points to its 24.

Scrubb started hot, hitting a three-pointer nine seconds into the contest. He drained two more treys in the opening frame, collecting 13 points before the game was five minutes old.

Hinz took over in the next quarter, extending the 28-14 lead his team built. He hit 11 points, five of which were assisted by Scrubb, including a no-look behind-the-back pass to set up a three-point basket.

With a 13-0 stretch, the Ravens ran into the break with a 53-24 lead.

Scrubb and Hinz helped extend it to 81-46 by the end of the third. Scrubb showed off his vision and creative passing by picking up three helpers to go along with another five points, while Hinz added another four.

The play of the two stars created open look after open look, outplaying the Toronto defence on seemingly every possession.

They weren’t played in the final frame, but Scrubb still ended with a game-high 24 points and seven assists. Hinz finished with 22 points and a game-high five boards.

Alex Hill (Calgary) paced the Blues with 15 points.

The Ravens will look to earn their second straight perfect season with a win Sunday night against the Ryerson University Rams. Game time is 8 p.m. at the Ravens’ Nest.

Source: Carleton Sports Info

LENNOXVILLE, Que. – The No. 10-ranked Concordia Stingers used a late run to defeat the Bishop's Gaiters, 63-58, in a CIS men's basketball action at the Mitchell Gym, Friday night. The Gaiters led 58-55 before the Stingers scored the game's final eight points to avenge their loss in Montreal a week ago. Concordia's game-ending run was the tenth lead change in the back-and-forth game, which also featured seven ties and had neither team lead by more than seven points.

Concordia started quickly and a 7-0 lead less than two minutes in, forcing the Gaiters into a quick time out. Bishop's came back and cut the deficit to 18-17 by the end of the first quarter. The Gaiters took the lead for the first time at 23-22 on a three-pointer by Mukiya Post (Victoria, B.C.), and led 29-28 at halftime. The held a 48-46 lead after three quarters, setting up the second thriller in as many weeks between the two squads.

The Gaiters held a narrow lead through most of the fourth quarter, and a putback by Post put Bishop's up 58-55 with 2:51 to go. Concordia's Decee Krah hit a three-pointer to tie the game on the next possession. Trailing 59-58 with seven seconds left, the Gaiters had a chance to take the lead via the free throw, but both attempts found iron and Concordia put the game away with four free throws in the final five seconds.

Post led the Gaiters (8-18, 8-14 CIS, 3-10 Quebec) with 12 points, while Onnex Blackwood (Scarborough, Ont.) came off the bench to score ten. Jeremy Leonard-Smith (Ottawa, Ont.) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, while Sean Monplaisir (Toronto, Ont.) finished with six points, six boards and nine assists. Sophomore centre Mike Andrews (Oakville, Ont.) made a career-high six blocks, and he leads the CIS with 2.2 rejections per game.

Concordia (19-9, 18-6, 11-2) was led by Evens Laroche, who scored 19 points on 8-for-19 shooting. Krah was the only other Stinger in double figures, with ten points. Zach Brisebois led the Stingers on the boards with nine rebounds, while Kyle Desmarais made eight assists.

The Gaiters shot 46.2% from the field, their best showing in league play this year, while Concordia shot 30.6%. Concordia were 78% (14-for-18) from the free-throw line, while the Gaiters were 60% (6-for-10). Bishop's outrebounded Concordia 41-39.

The Stingers are now a win away from clinching the league pennant. They play second-place McGill on Saturday afternoon.

Bishop's remains a game behind 4-9 Laval, who also lost on Friday. The Gaiters and Rouge et Or face off twice in the final three games, starting on Sunday afternoon in Quebec City. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.

Source: Bishop's Sports Info

VICTORIA - With 25 seconds left, Ryan MacKinnon drained the shot of his career, propelling the University of Victoria Vikes into a hosting position when next weekend's Canada West playoffs begin.

Rolling to his comfort zone at the top of the key, the fifth-year guard curled off a screen to take a pass from forward Terrell Evans and released a shot without hesitation, draining the three and game-winning basket for UVic. In the process, the No. 6 nationally ranked Vikes defeated the No. 5 nationally ranked UBC Thunderbirds 90-83 in front of a sold-out crowd of over 1,700 at Ken & Kathy Shields Court at McKinnon Gymnasium.

With the win, UVic snaps an 11-game losing streak to UBC and clinches the Pacific Division title. They will now prepare to host the red-hot Calgary Dinos in the best-of-three Canada West quarter-final series beginning Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at McKinnon Gymnasium. Game 2 goes Saturday Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. and Game 3, if necessary, will be played on Sunday Feb. 26 at 2 p.m.

Tickets for the Canada West quarter-final series will be on sale on Monday Feb. 20. Prices are as follows:
ADULTS - $10
SENIORS/STUDENTS/ALUMNI - $8
YOUTH (7-14) - $5
UVIC STUDENTS / REC MEMBERS - $5
NOTE: Children 6 and under are free

Michael Acheampong of Toronto was named the Applebee's Player of the Game with a game-high 28 points along with four assists and a steal. MacKinnon of Comox, B.C., added 13 points, five assists, four steals and four rebounds on graduating players night. Fellow senior Zac Andrus of Vashon Island, Wa., was also terrific with 16 points, including a pair of clutch free-throws to ice the game with 14 seconds left. Evans of Las Vegas added 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, with two important rebounds in the final minute.

Tommy Nixon of Vancouver led UBC with 21 points and eight rebounds. Three other fifth-year senior T-Birds players were also in double-digit scoring. Senior guard Nathan Yu of Prince George, B.C., of UBC was held in check with just 17 points, Doug Plumb of Pitt Meadows, B.C., also had 17 points, with Kamar Burke of Mississauga, Ont., adding 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The Thunderbirds led early, going on a 9-0 run to lead 12-8 midway through the first quarter. They led 22-18 after the opening quarter, and they continued to lead 41-40 at the half.

In the third quarter, MacKinnon took over. He scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half, including five three-pointers. Acheampong also drained two of his five three-pointers in the game to shift the momentum back in UVic's favour.

The Vikes saved their best quarter for last outscoring UBC 26-19 in the final quarter.

The Vikes hit 13 three-pointers in the win and shot 53 per cent from the field. UBC was also red hot, shooting 57 per cent but UVic made them pay for their 14 turnovers, scoring 22 points off the Thunderbirds' mistakes.

Late in the game, several unforced turnovers for UBC sailed out of bounds - it proved to provide the Vikes with the possession they needed to come from behind in a game that featured nine lead changes and 10 times was tied.

UBC led by as many as 11 points early in the second quarter. 

Source: Victoria Sports Info