The York University Lions basketball teams faced off against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks Sunday afternoon at the Tait McKenzie Centre, closing out their two-game season-opening homestand. The women's team looked to improve to 2-0, while the men's team was seeking its first win after dropping the season opener to Laurier.
Women's Game:Â Â
York led 16-10 after one, with most of their points coming from inside the paint. Ella Okubasu broke out for nine of the Lions first-quarter points, and Gabby Di Pietro also continued her hot shooting from three-point territory by splashing her first shot of the game, as York carried a six-point lead to the secondÂ
The Lions began the second quarter on a massive 11-0 run, with Eternati Willock (eight first-half points) and Ruqaya Green (seven first-half points) beginning to warm up in the paint. On the defensive end of the floor, York only allowed ten points the whole quarter, mostly from the free throw line, which let them enjoy a comfortable double-digit lead of 40-20 at halftime. Â
Picking up right where they left off, the Lions' ball movement led to a variety of players finishing effectively in the paint, including Willock, Kiara Loveridge and Alexis Grewal. While Ontario Tech continued to find some success from the free throw line, York's heavy rim protection inside had the Ridgebacks trailing 62-34 after three. Â
With Willock again leading the pack and finishing the game with 18 points, the Lions added to their lead in the fourth, ourscoring Ontario Tech to the tune of 20-9, earned a blowout win, 81-43. Rookie guard Isabella Heffring also contributed five points off the bench. Despite only making one three-pointer in the game (1-16), the Lions were tremendous in the paint. That, as well as lack of turnovers (13, to Ontario Tech's 26), Â will surely be a recipe to replicate moving forward.Â
Men's Game:Â Â
Centre Liam Rietschin led the Lions in the opening quarter, slamming a vicious dunk down early and scoring the first six points of the game, with twelve total in the quarter. On the other side, however, Ridgebacks guard Emmanuel Okonkwo had six straight points of his own to open for the visitors, with eight total in the quarter, including a deep three ball. A late deep three by the Lions Gabriel Quayson helped the York take a 22-18 lead at the end of one.
While Ontario Tech's offence came out flying in the second and claimed the lead midway through the quarter, the Lions found success from three-point land, with Quayson dropping two more and Malakai Ayres-Olson connecting on another. However, the Ridgebacks efficiency inside had them holding a lead of 45-38 at recess.
Quayson kept his hot hand with two more threes to open the second half, but the Ridgebacks were proficient in the third, going 7-of-12 from the field, and leading by eight as the quarter wound down. However, a buzzer-beating bucket by Nate Makolo at the end of the third cut it to a two=possession game at left them 64-58 and sparked hope for a last quarter comeback.Â
Ontario Tech kept on the gas early on in the final frame, going on a quick 5-2 run to extend the lead back to nine. However, York responded with a run of its own to get back within five. With just under five minutes left, Nickele Harris hit a clutch three pointer, and Makolo converted a three-point play to bring the deficit to only two, 72-70. However, the Ridgebacks responded with three quick baskets that put them back up 78-70 with 2:30 left. The Lions produced twelve had one of their best spurts of the day late, scoring 12 points in the final two minutes, but it wasn't enough as the Ridgebacks held on for an 86-82 win to drop York to 0-2 on the season.
LOOKING AHEAD:Â
The women's team, looking to remain undefeated, will play at 6:00pm, while the men's team, still looking for their first win of the season, will play at 8:00pm. The games will take place on Saturday, November 9th, with coverage on OUA TV.
