The York University Lions basketball teams opened their season at home Friday night at Tait McKenzie Centre, squaring off against the visiting Laurier Golden Hawks. Coming off offseasons of positive growth, with many new players brought in by both programs, both York teams were looking to establish a winning culture in the 2024-25 campaign and make a return the postseason.
Women's Game:
The Lions quickly went on a 4-0 run to start the season. Following a 12-2 surge by the Golden Hawks that put them up 12-6, the Lions managed to finish the quarter only down 12-11 thanks to the efforts of Kiara Leveridge, who struck back with five straight points for the Lions, burying a deep three ball as the buzzer sounded.
Eternati Willock, the Lions lead scorer in the half with eight points, dropped two straight buckets to open the second quarter, helping the Lions begin the frame on a 9-2 run, extended by Ashanti Christian's dominance inside the paint. Control under the basket by the Lions allowed them to gain their first double digit lead of 28-18, winnig the battle on the glas and finishing at the basket, with Willock again leading the pace off four more straight points to end the half with a comfortable 36-21 lead. The Lions defence proved to be crucial in the opening half, holding Laurier to a mere 17.9% field goal percentage through two quarters.
The Lions were led out of the break by a pair of American transfers in Ella Okubasu and Eternati Willock, who combined for nine of York's 16 points in the quarter. They continued to play well defensively, holding Laurier to just 19 points, and the quarter ended with York still up comfortably 52-41.
Laurier started the fourth on a 14-3 run to cut tie it at 55 on a bucket by Cassidy Hirtle, but a Gabriella Di Pietro three ball and Willock layup gave York the momentum back and pushed their lead back up to five. Another White three in addition to a foul by York on another three-point attempt by White had Laurier knocking on the door yet again in the last two minutes, but with a 66-63 lead still in their hand, the Lions held off a strong fourth-quarter Laurier offence to finish a thrilling 66-60 win to open the season, marked by a dagger three in the dying seconds by none other than Di Pietro.
Men's Game:
The game was a defensive slug fest early, with a Liam Rietschin three, a pair of Jackson Mackinnon-Metcalf mid-range jumpers and two Nickele Harris layups highlighting the Lions offence in what was a 13-13 game at the end of the opening quarter.
Play remained tight in the second frame, with the defence remaining a strong factor, with six total blocks and nineteen total turnovers in the first half between the two sides. The Lions were the ones that walked back to the locker room with a lead of 27-23 at halftime, thanks to guard Malakai Ayres-Olson contributing five points in the quarter. Despite leading and spreading the ball out well, the Lions sent Laurier to the line more than they would've liked, allowing ten free throws in the first half.
Both teams continued to have a hard time scoring out of the break, with the teams combining for five in the first four minutes of the third quarter. A tough, physical favoured the Hawks, who jumped out to a 7-1 run that tied the game at 34 apiece. A deep three ball from Taye Donald gave the visitors the lead for the first time, but a bucket from York's Elias Panagiotopoulos in the dying seconds, his third of the game, gave the Lions a narrow 38-37 lead heading into the final quarter.
Harris, the Lions leading scorer, buried a three ball on the opening possession of the fourth quarter, which gave York the momentum. However, after a vicious block from the Lions Nate Makolo, Laurier responded with an 11-0 run, capped by a Jalen Levene three pointer that gave Laurier a 53-43 lead with three minutes left to play. That run sealed the Lions fate, as they drop the season opener by a score of 57-46.
LOOKING AHEAD: The Lions basketball squads will remain at home for their next set. The women's team will look to build upon their early success with their game beginning at 1:00pm, and the men's team will look for their first win of the season with their game tipping off at 3:00pm, both on Sunday, October 27th. Coverage will be available on OUA TV.
