The York University Lions men's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 65-63 loss to the Nipissing Lakers on Saturday night at the Tait McKenzie Centre after the visitors scored the go-ahead points in the final seconds of the game.
The Lions jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a huge block in the opening minutes from
Jayden Frederick (Scarborough, Ont.), which energized his teammates to start dominating early. In the first quarter alone Frederick recorded 12 points and he would finish the game with 22 points while also recording eight rebounds. The Lions exited the first period of play with a 25-12 lead.
The momentum quickly shifted in the second, as the Lakers came out flying and the Lions had troubles offensively that resulted in being outscored 25-5 in the quarter. Entering halftime the Lions lost their lead and trailed by a score of 37-30.
The Lions came out of the break reenergized and looked to build off the very things that made them successful in the opening quarter of the game. The Lions looked to get more points in the paint so they fed the ball to big man
George Ivens (Liphook, England), who recorded four points in the quarter, with one of his baskets coming off an impressive turn around jumper from the low post.
The Lakers kept their feet on the gas pedal as Marcus Lewis exemplified this drive when he broke free on a breakaway and threw down a vicious one-handed slam. The Lions would claw their way back to within one point until the Lakers' Jaaden Lewis hit a buzzer-beating three point shot to regain a 53-49 lead.
A back and forth battle ensued in the final quarter of the game with each team giving their best effort to oust one another. Every time one team would gain a lead the other would tie it up or take the lead for themselves. This would continue all the way into the dying seconds of the game when the Lakers took a two-point lead off of a successful trip to the free throw line.
With four seconds left in the game the Lions inbounded the ball into the Lakers zone where a pressing Nipissing defence forced
Nidun Chandrakumar (Scarborough, Ont.) to chuck up a deep three. As the buzzer sounded the ball hit the backboard, bounced off the rim and the Lakers stole the victory by two points.
The Lions will look to rebound from the night's tough loss and end their three-game losing streak on Wednesday when they travel downtown to face the defending OUA champion Ryerson Rams and their 13-1 record. Tip-off is set for 8pm.
