Lions fighting out every game on the hardwood

It has been an up-and-down start to the season for the Lions men’s basketball team, who lost back to back games in their season home opener at Tait McKenzie Centre this past weekend, first to the Brock Badgers on Frida,y and then to the McMaster Marauders the following evening.
Before hosting the teams from Hamilton and St. Catharines here in Toronto, the Lions were on the road, losing to the Queen’s Gaels before taking hard-fought wins over Nipissing and Laurentian University. In these games they showcased their offensive ability, quickly rising to fourth place in Ontario University Athletics scoring rankings. The same kind of offense kept them in their games against the Badgers and Marauders, despite both opponents being two of the top teams in the country.
In Friday’s game, both teams were hot from the start, exchanging successful plays and ending off the first quarter with a 18-17 lead for the Lions. In the second quarter the Badgers came fighting back and took a 43-38 lead, despite the Lions’ three-pointers raining down at their end of the court. The second half was similar, with the Badgers taking a dominant lead and the Lions fighting to keep up. In the end, the Badgers took away a 86-71 victory.
On Saturday, the Lions once again had a strong first quarter, narrowly leading before the Marauders pulled ahead in the second quarter to lead by 49-39 at the half. The Lions’ hopes of recovering the deficit were dashed in the third quarter, in which the Lions outscored the Marauders 22 points to 14 but were unable to catch up with their opponents. The final score of the game, largely due to the Marauders’ efficient three-point shooting, was 88-74.
“I feel like those were both games in which we had multiple chances to take control down the stretch and we let them get away,” says new Lions’ point guard Shane Reader, adding that it was good learning experience for the team. “I think our biggest challenge is our complacency. We know we’re as good as any team in the country but we don’t always play our game for a full 40 minutes.”
Reader led the Lions’ effort in both games, recording 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals on Friday, and adding another nine points and four assists on Saturday. He is currently ranked second in the OUA in assists per game.
Despite tough losses at home, Reader remains optimistic about the rest of the season. “I’m very excited for the rest of the season, as are the rest of my teammates,” he says. “The season has had its share of ups and downs so far but I’m confident that we’ll be able to get things rolling and hit our stride when it matters most in February and March.”
Hassam Munir
Sports and Health Editor