(01/11/24) - Kingston, ON., The Queen's Men's Basketball team fought a tough game against the Windsor Lancer's, after a victorious 97-81 win to start to their regular season schedule against the Guelph Gryphons. The final score of the game was 104-96, which illustrates the pressure and determination each team had to walk away with the victory.
Missing from tonight's usual line-up is Gaels no. 3
Luka Syllas (Concurrent Education). The omission of Syllas from the Queen's starters left a gap in the offensive play of the Gaels that the boys aimed to successfully fill. With a lively crowd on the Gaels home-opener at the Queen's ARC, the crowd hoped to hype up the team and provide support during the tough game.
The Gaels took the lead quickly in the first quarter, matching the strength of the Lancer's and dominating offensively. The first quarter ended with score of 30-24, with the Gaels leading going into the second. The Gaels looked strong and seemed to have filled Syllas's absence seamlessly. Scoring numerous three-pointers, it looked like the evening would be a game filled with successful shots from the arch.
The second quater did not play-out the same for the Gaels, as they entered a tough battle with the Lancer's attempting to maintain their lead over their quickly closing-in opponents. With the turn in events of the score in the second, the Gaels need to adjust their game-plan to compensate for a situation so-far this season, foreign to them. Having not been down in a game this season, the Gaels now have to work together to come back from their scoring deficit. The first half of the game ends with the Lancer's taking a seven point lead over the Gaels, 53-46.
Returning to the court after half-time, the Gaels look to formulate a plan to capture back the lead for themselves admits a Lancer offensive run. Though this does not pan-out for the Gaels, as the Lancer's continue their push on the scoreboard and secure a further nine point lead of 62-53.
With scoring going back and forth, each team pushing for more, the Lancer's are able to maintain their lead, scoring many three-pointers whereas the Gaels could not find the same luck on the line. The Lancer's push through near the end of the third quarter to secure the largest point difference in the score so far in the game, leading 70-57.
As the game begins to see tensions and eagerness rise, no. 12
Tyson Lama (Commerce) and no. 10
Lucas Ponting (Commerce) accumulate four personal fouls each, making coach Stephen Barrie hesitant to keep them on the court at all times. With the Gaels needing to tighten up their play by slowing it down at the net and strengthening their defense, they make a tremendous cut into the Lancer's dozen lead, cutting it in half by six points closing out the third.
Opening the fourth quarter, the Gaels climb to a one point deficit behind the Lancer's, although the Lancer's quick to defend themselves - making the score 79-75 in the opening minutes. No. 6
Kai Dalen (Arts) and no. 8
Ollie Engen (Kinesiology) are key players in the fourth quarter, aiding their Gaels team in maintaining a basket-away follow to the Lancer's lead. A great hustle by the Gaels drives them to create momentum for themselves and a chance to take the win. A shot by Dalen ties the game for only the third time in the evening, although he picks up his fifth technical shortly after.
With five minutes left in the game, and the score at 82-81 for the Lancer's, the Gaels take a short-libbed lead. After this, the Gaels and Lancer's trade the lead back-and-forth multiple times. Engen makes the score a close 97-94 with only a minute left in regulation, although the Lancer's fight back making the Gaels fall six points behind. After a tough battle and strong effort by the Gaels, the game ends with a Gaels loss of 104-96.
Make sure to catch the boys in action again Saturday, November, 2nd, at 4:00 PM, at their home court of the Queen's University ARC, where they take on the Wester Mustangs and look for redemption after tonights loss.
