Six Gees reach double-digits to beat sixth-ranked Laurentian
Following an emotional loss to the Ravens at the Canadian Tire Centre, the Gee-Gees responded by defeating the sixth-ranked Laurentian Voyageurs in foreign territory on Feb. 9. Even the league’s highest scorer, Kadre Grey, couldn’t beat the Gees despite putting in a Trae Young performance by dropping 38 points to go along with 14 dimes.
It was an incredibly tight first quarter, but it didn’t get off to a good start for the Gees, with a turnover on the opening possession of the game, resulting in an open transition three-pointer for Grey who found his stride early. Jean-Emmanuel Pierre-Charles gave the Gee-Gees a one-point lead less than two minutes into the game, thanks to a great individual effort collecting the offensive rebound and finishing under the basket. Neither team could pull away, as neither side could manage higher than a three-point lead all quarter.
Laurentian had jumped out to a seven-point lead halfway through the second quarter, before Gage Sabean responded with a fast-break pullup three. Sabean caught fire afterwards, scoring two more threes in less than two minutes, giving the Gees a 38-36 lead.
After two made free-throws by Mackenzie Morrison it was a 40 all with 2:14 to go. It was a 43-42 Laurentian lead going into an impressive second half. Pierre-Charles led the way for the Gees with 12 points and Sabean was key with three shots from behind the arc.
The second half proved to be an offensive onslaught, an early block by Pierre-Charles resulted in two made free throws by Brody Maracle to take an early three-point lead for the Gees. Calvin Epistola hit a three-pointer two and a half minutes into the quarter and previewed hit impressive 13-point quarter. Grey kept pacing the Voyageurs with a pull up three from past NBA range to cut the score to 63-61, but the Gees answered with a reverse layup by Maracle. Jean-Louis stretched the Gee-Gees’ lead to a slim 67-63 with the final points of the quarter.
Brandon Robinson hit a three-pointer to give the Gee-Gees a 10-point lead after crossing up the Laurentian defender three-minutes into the final quarter. That 10-point cushion was huge as the Voyageurs never got within more than five points. Five three-pointers from the Gee-Gees were big in obtaining the win and en route to scoring 32 points in the final quarter.
Epistola scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half, and proved to be exactly what the Garnet and Grey needed to take down their Ontario University Athletics rival.
The next home game for the Gee-Gees will take place on Feb. 16 against Queen’s University at Montpetit hall, tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
