The Brock Men’s Basketball team hosted the Lakehead Thunderwolves on Nov. 11 and 12 in what amounted to a matchup between two of the top 10 Canadian university basketball teams.
Brock was ranked third in the country heading into the Nov. 11 matchup while Lakehead was ranked eighth.
The Badgers won the tip off to start the game but came up empty on the first possession of the game. Brock’s Isiah Bujdoso netted the first point of the game shooting one for two at the line.
Lakehead answered back on the next possession, shooting one for two at the line for an odd 1-1 start to the game.
Brock would take over on the next several possessions. Godsman Kwakwah contributed nine points on a 11-0 scoring run for the Badgers. An early double digit lead as Brock went up 16-3 just over halfway through the quarter.
Lakehead ended the 11-0 run with a pull up jumper at the top of the key, making the 16-5.
However, Brock dominated the next two minutes scoring five more points, one being a three pointer from Jevonnie Scott. Followed by a three pointer by Lakeheads Javier Fernandez to answer right back and a steal on the following Brock possession to bring it back to single digits, for the first time in six minutes.
The last two minutes of the quarter was back-and-forth as Lakehead’s Fernandez piled on to his prior five points, sinking two more three’s while Brock continued to move the ball around taking high percentage looks and shooting 62.5 per cent in the quarter. Brock led 30-20 after quarter number one.
The Thunderwolves came out flying to start the second quarter hitting back to back threes and Javier Fernandez increased his point totals to 15 before the two minute mark of the quarter.
At the 7:50 mark, a foul was called against Brock sending Lakehead to the line. The next three minutes would be more of the same as the refs made their mark on the game sending each team to the line four times before the halfway mark of the quarter.
The rest of the quarter was competitive as Brock forward Michael Matas and Lakeheads Eric Gonzalez both scored nine points in the quarter. Brock led at the half 54-46 shooting 19 for 32 from the field and 13 for 15 from the free throw line.
Brock was not able to carry that consistency into the second half. They started off the quarter 0-3 from the field and failed to score a basket for the first two minutes of the half. Lakehead scored first at 8:48, reducing the Brock lead to just six points.
The Thunderwolves guards had a hot quarter, scoring three three-pointers, while the Badgers managed zero throughout the quarter. Brock’s meager shooting in the quarter would allow Lakehead to get within three just before the end of quarter. That being said, Matas had a timely offensive rebound leading to a layup as the Badgers headed to the fourth up five.
Badgers Isiah Bujdoso scored the first basket of the fourth quarter increasing their lead once again, but got a technical foul on the play, allowing Lakehead to shoot one.
Lakehead used the technical foul to change momentum bringing the game within one score on a layup by Nathan Bilamu. They then proceeded to take advantage of Brock’s aggressive defence, finding the open man Tyler Sagl for three, as the Thunderwolves took their first lead of the game with a score of 68-67 at the 5:19 mark.
The next four minutes featured tightly played basketball as both teams traded points. With the score tied and under a minute left, Brock’s Jevon Brown nailed a three to go up 78-75 but Lakehead’s Nathan Bilamu answered right back with a three of his own, tying the game at 78-78.
Lakehead got possession and with a chance to win the game Laoui Msambya missed an uncontested three sending the game to overtime.
Brock came out flat in the overtime as Lakehead took an early five point lead and never looked back. Despite a late three from Jevonnie Scott and the Badgers having last possession, they were unable to tie the game and fell 92-90 in the first of back to back to the Thunderwolves.
The Badgers would redeem themselves on Nov. 12 as they beat the Thunderwolves 81-58. Guard Small-Martin scored a season high 21 points and Jordan Tcheunte had 17 points of his own. The Badgers next game is Nov. 18 against the University of Waterloo at home. Tickets can be bought here or the game can be streamed on OUAtv.