On the second night of back-to-back games, the Brock Badgers men’s basketball team defeated the TMU Bold 71-62.
Just 24 hours before, the Badgers had collapsed against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in a disappointing season opener. The game against the Bold saw a steadier Badgers team that looked more organized on offence.
Out of the gun, the Badgers were firing on all cylinders, starting with two offensive rebounds that gave wing Michael Okeke three opportunities to score, cashing in from beyond the arc on the last. This game saw the Badgers shoot the three-ball with no hesitation, taking 40 attempts, compared to 33 from the game against the Varsity Blues. Although the increased volume of shooting didn’t lead to high efficiency (9-40), this forced the Bold to respect Brock’s shooters, leading to paint touches off of wild closeouts.
Despite a hot start for the Badgers, they found themselves down 20-17 after the first quarter. Reigning OUA Player of the Year Aaron Rhooms was the standout in that quarter, drawing the majority of the attention from the Badgers’ defence. Rhooms did a solid job of distributing the ball under pressure, making the right play almost every time down the floor.
The rest of the first half required numerous adjustments from the coaches on both sides. The Bolds’ game plan was to force Brock to make three-point shots. One shot to that point, Brock hadn’t been comfortable shooting. On the other side, Brock Head Coach Willy Manigat positioned his players to be extra aggressive on their ball handlers, forcing guards Kevin Toth and Rhooms to make tough passes out of the pick and roll.
Both teams were careless with the ball in the game, highlighted by TMU’s 22 turnovers to Brock’s 24. A defensive chess match was in full effect. Neither team would manage to score over 21 points in a quarter (20 for TMU in the first).
The Badgers looked to have the lead going into the half, until Rhooms would complete a gorgeous pass to DeAndre Goulbourne in the corner, cashing out a three that would elevate the Bold to a 37-36 lead.
The second half was when the Badgers really started to put their defensive prowess on full display. TMU was forced into multiple shot clock violations, along with some late shot clock heaves. Brock held TMU to a game-low nine points in the third quarter.
It was only a matter of time before the Badgers gained some sense of identity on offence amidst some great defensive stops. This came in the third quarter after Rhooms picked up his third foul, allowing Badgers guards to attack him off switches. Badger guard Xavier Fearon took advantage of TMU’s foul trouble by getting downhill in the half-court and penetrating the rim with an array of moves from his arsenal. The Badgers would find themselves slowly creeping away with a lead by quarter’s end.
It was all hands on deck as the final frame rolled around. Brock came out a little flat, allowing TMU to score consecutive buckets, narrowing down the lead in the process. Tensions were high in a loud Bob Davis Gymnasium, and fans and players alike were both anxiously waiting to see which team would pull ahead.
In true storybook fashion, it would be the Badgers’ three-point shooting that would give them the eventual edge over the Bold. Anthony Heyes and Isaiah Bujdoso both hit some crucial shots from the land beyond, catapulting Brock to a much-needed win just two games into the season.
The Badgers finished their opening weekend 1-1 against a set of tough Toronto teams.
The top performers of the game included Ben Herbert, who finished with 16 points and zero turnovers, while playing electric on defence.
Andrew McKenna finished just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Finally, Michael Matas anchored the Badgers’ defence, finishing with nine points and six rebounds on the night.
Next, the Badgers will head on the road to face the McMaster Marauders on Nov. 1 in Hamilton, in hopes of surpassing the 500 mark for the first time this season.