Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured Image: Men win in triple overtime while women lose to end five-game winning streak. | Courtesy of YorkU Lions
Both Lions basketball teams travelled to Thunder Bay this Saturday to take on Lakehead. Each game was a hard-fought battle. The women finished their game in a heartbreaking, 86-83 loss, while the men took theirs to three overtime periods before they triumphed over the Thunderwolves 112-104.
In the women’s game, both teams were close in points throughout the contest. York’s Lauren Golding put the first points on the scoreboard with a three-pointer. Other Lions’ contributors in the first quarter included: Katrina Collins-Samuel, with a layup; and Emma Jonas, with a three-pointer. Lakehead, however, poured in 23 points of their own, en route to a one-point lead going into the second.
The game remained close in the second quarter as both teams scored sixteen points. With 10 seconds to go, the game was tied at 38, but the Thunderwolves knocked down a free throw to take a one-point lead into half.
Lakehead increased their lead in the third quarter to 60-56 as they outscored the Lions by three points. Led by team captain Collins-Samuel, who scored twelve points and Megan McLeod, who scored seven points, York attempted to mount a comeback in the final quarter. However, they were unable to complete the rally, as they fell to the Thunderwolves by a score of 86-83.
The men’s game against Lakehead was equally as thrilling. The Lions quickly took the game to their opponents in the first quarter as Gianmarco Luciani’s three-point bucket and DeAndre Pierre’s two-pointer gave the Lions a 5-0 lead early. Lakehead, however, fought back and took an 18-16 lead by the end of the first.
The Thunderwolves outscored the Lions by four points in the second quarter to extend their lead to 36-30 at half. The Lions, however, had a massive third quarter, outscoring the Thunderwolves by 10 points to lead 56-52 going into the fourth.
In the final frame, Lakehead closed the point gap, and were leading by three points towards the end of regulation. Luciani, however, knocked down a clutch three-pointer for the Lions, knotting things up at 78 and forcing overtime.
Both teams traded buckets in the first two overtimes, with neither side able to pull away. The Lions finally took charge in the third overtime outscoring the Thunderwolves 16-8 and winning the game 112-104.
Both teams will play their last two games of the 2018 calendar year on the road against McMaster on Friday, and Brock on Saturday. Tipoff is 6 p.m. for the women, and 8 p.m. for the men.
