Lions open season with weekend double-header

Highlighted by their exhibition trip to Quebec and the RBC Classic at Brock University on October 26, the Lions’ pre-season is now over.
Basketball season is upon us, and the Lions are looking to start their 2013-2014 regular season on a high note.
After ending off the last season with a disappointing quarterfinal loss to Ryerson, the Lions are preparing to start this season without star point guard David Tyndale.
The team will need to find leaders who are willing to step up and replace Tyndale’s production which topped out at 15.5 points a game last season.
The Lions came away with mixed results during pre-season play, scoring a 84-77 victory over the University of Regina Cougars while splitting contests with the Laval University Rouge et Or.
York’s season will officially kick off against the Guelph Gryphons on November 1 at the Tait McKenzie Gym. Like the Lions, the Gryphons ended their 2012-2013 season in second to last place in their division. The fact Guelph’s Dan McCarthy, who finished his career with 1,274 as a Gryphon, will not be returning to play will not help their situation.
Guard Zachary Angus will now take on the challenge of playing the leadership role as Guelph takes on a rebuilding phase. Angus has steadily improved every year that he has played and averaged 13.5 points per game last season.
Finishing outside of the playoff race back in February, the Gryphons had a lot of time to focus on their rebuilding process. With the help of the 12 first-year players added on to the team, the Gryphons’ realistic goal is to clinch a berth in this year’s playoffs.
The Lions should compete, but not struggle against this Guelph team. The departure of Tyndale will give the guard rotation more breathing room and should encourage a healthy amount of competition for playing time within the team.
Watch out for second-year forward Daniel Tulloch to take another huge step forward after an impressive rookie campaign. Tulloch finished off last season averaging 11.3 points per game and comes into this season as the go-to player on the court for York. Adding fifth-year forward and 11.9 points-per-game scorer Aaron Rados to the mix, York’s forward talent can compete with the best of them.
The Lions will not have much time for rest after their game against Guelph; they are playing against the Lakehead Thunderwolves the next day. Lakehead took home the bronze medal in last year’s playoffs and have solidified themselves as a top team in the West division.
This game will not only test the Lions but it will provide an early sense of league placement as York takes on a weaker Guelph team on Friday and a solid Lakehead team on Saturday.
The Lions will need to shut down Lakehead big man Ryan Thompson who shot an impressive 49 per cent from the field last season, leading to an average of 14.4 points per game. Lakehead will be looking to keep the ball in the post as much as possible and tough defense down low will be vital in order to win this game.
Be sure to celebrate the beginning of basketball season and support your Lions basketball team at the Tait Mckenzie gym on November 1 and November 2.
Amjed Al Salman
Contributor