Brock turned a tie game after one quarter into a comfortable 70-56 win over Nipissing on Jan. 9 at the Bob Davis Gymnasium, using a decisive third quarter and a steady edge on the glass to move to 9-2 on the season.
The Badgers and Lakers were even at 15-15 after 10 minutes, but Brock began to separate before halftime, taking a 31-30 lead into the break. The real swing came in the third, when Brock outscored Nipissing 21-15 to build breathing room, then finished the job with an 18-11 fourth quarter to close out the 14-point road win.
Brock’s offense was balanced, led by Andrew McKenna and Isaiah Bujdoso, who scored 15 points apiece. McKenna played for 34 minutes and went 6-for-17 from the field, adding two made free throws and three assists. Bujdoso logged 24 minutes, scoring his 15 on 2-for-10 shooting while getting to the line frequently, and he impacted multiple areas with 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Michael Okeke added 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting, hitting two of Brock’s eight three-pointers (2-for-5 from deep). Brock’s shooting was modest overall — 26-for-70 (37 per cent) and 8-for-30 (26.7 per cent) from three — but the Badgers repeatedly created extra chances. Brock finished with 46 rebounds where both teams generated little in transition (0 fast-break points for each side).
Brock’s bench also contributed to the margin, outscoring Nipissing’s reserves 27-12. Ben Herbert provided six points in 17 minutes, while Cairo Perry chipped in six points in 17 minutes as well. Magnus Carlos scored six in nine minutes, and Brock had multiple rotation players produce in short stints to keep the pressure on as the game stretched in the second half.
Nipissing, which fell to 3-10, received 15 points from Alexander Blackmore, who played 33 minutes and went 7-for-17 from the field. Blackmore hit one three (1-for-8) and grabbed seven rebounds. Jeziyah Excell-Johnson played all 40 minutes and finished with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Alvin Icyogere added 10 points but struggled with turnovers, credited with five.
The Lakers shot 21-for-62 (33.9 per cent) and went cold from the outside in the fourth quarter, missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the final period. That fourth-quarter drought from deep made it difficult to erase Brock’s lead, especially with the Badgers controlling the boards and limiting Nipissing’s ability to string together stops without conceding another possession.
Brock’s ability to win the possession battle showed up in the team totals: the Badgers recorded 14 points off turnovers to Nipissing’s seven, and Brock’s rebounding presence translated into consistent opportunities near the rim. Brock also led 30-10 in points in the paint, reflecting the steadier shot diet as the game moved into winning time.
After an even first quarter, Brock’s advantage built in layers, a one-point halftime lead, a third-quarter surge, then a closing quarter where Nipissing couldn’t generate enough perimeter scoring to threaten. By the final minute, Brock had pushed the lead to its largest at 16 (with 1:08 remaining), and the Badgers saw out the result to cap a controlled 70-56 win.