Highlight Reel: Feb. 22
Men beat Ryerson in a thriller and pack their bags to Wilson Cup finals
Saturday night was a night to remember for the Gee-Gees men’s basketball team. A 79–78 win in a semifinal game in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoff against rival Ryerson Rams would become the most memorable game this season.
The atmosphere in Montpetit Hall was electric as hundreds of Gee-Gees fans piled in and completely filled the stands to support their second-ranked men’s hoops squad. The energy in the building was not exclusive to the fans it had a visible effect on the players and the pace of the game.
In the first quarter, Ryerson came out fighting which shocked the Gees into giving up the early lead until two massive dunks from star Terry Thomas reset the pace for the evening. There were issues with execution and rebounds, but these were ultimately overcome by the Gees’ pure will to fight and hang in the game.
The score was neck-and-neck throughout and Ryerson played tougher than they have all season but it was not enough to combat the Gee-Gees work shooting threes, sinking free throws and getting key defensive stops.
With six seconds remaining and the game on the line, the most crucial shots were taken at the free-throw line to put the game out of reach for the Rams. Guard Caleb Agada calmly sank both shots to put the Gees up 79–75. A buzzer-beating three from the Rams did not matter as the Gee-Gees punched their ticket to the OUA Wilson Cup in Toronto.
Forward Terry Thomas had a team high 28 points paired with five rebounds and two steals. Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue dominated as well with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
“It was an awesome win,” said head coach James Derouin. “Johnny [Berhanemeskel] had some big baskets down the stretch, then Caleb [Agada] with the huge free throws, that was the game right there. Terry [Thomas] was also amazing. To me, that could be a national championship semi-final.”
“We are a family,” said Agada. “These are my brothers, I love going to war with them and getting this win with them was amazing.”
The Gee-Gees will be out on the floor again on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. to play the McMaster Marauders in the OUA Wilson Cup semifinals at Ryerson in Toronto. With a win on Feb. 28, the Gees would lock up their spot in the National Championship tournament starting on Mar. 7 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
Gee-Gees women’s hoops playoff dreams grind to a halt Saturday
The Gee-Gees women’s basketball team had a successful yet trying season that was full of ups-and-downs. Unfortunately, rival Carleton Ravens nixed the women’s hopes of making an appearance in the national tournament with a final score of 57–39 in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoff semi-finals on Saturday night.
Both teams played tough, but the Ravens played a little tougher coming out on top in the low-scoring affair. The Gees shot a dismal 23.1 per cent on the night, which would ultimately cost them the game in the fourth quarter.
Graduating forward Angela Tilk had a double-double performance in the final game of her collegiate career notching 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Centre Maddie Stephen added nine points and six rebounds in her team high 35 minutes of play.
This season, the Gee-Gees posted a 14–8 record with an injury laden squad for most of the year. The women will loose some players to graduation but will look to retain the majority of their roster in the fall.
