GUELPH, ON - It is an image that will, unfortunately, be burned into the memory of
Jonathan Wallace and Gryphon basketball fans alike. On Friday night versus Lakehead at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, the Gryphs fourth year guard came agonizingly close to sinking what
would have been a game-winning jump shot in the dying moments of the 4th quarter. With just :02 seconds remaining in regulation, Wallace's pull-up jump shot banked off the glass and went half-way down the net before somehow rattling out. Instead of a game-winner for the Gryphs, it was a 63-62 victory for the Lakehead Thunderwolves in a game full of playoff implications. With the loss, the Gryphons fall to 4-13 on the season with now just two games remaining in the regular season schedule.
Friday night's game between the Gryphons and Thunderwolves always had the potential to be a hard-fought, evenly contested matchup. Both teams entered the game battling for their playoff lives with just three games remaining on the regular season schedule. The Gryphons would end a seesaw opening half by closing out the 2nd quarter an a 14-0 run to take a five-point lead into the locker room at halftime. A three-pointer from fourth year forward
Ahmed Haroon would cap the 14-0 run as Haroon finished the night with a team-high 16 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting (2-2 from beyond the arc). Fourth year guard
Daniel Dooley finished with 14 points on the night while going 3-5 from downtown, as the Gryphons and Thunderwolves remained neck-and-neck heading down the stretch.
Trailing by three with a minute to go, the Gryphons got to within one after a Jonathan Wallace tip-in that made the score 63-62. With :11 seconds remaining, the Gryphs would get a stop at the defensive end when Lakehead's Bacarius Dinkins sent a jump shot off the back rim. Wallace scooped up the rebound and led the Gryphons on fast-break the other way. With :02 seconds remaining, Wallace would pull-up and watch as his jump shot somehow rattled out. Haroon hauled in the offensive rebound but came down with his foot on the end line to essentially seal the victory for Lakehead. Leading the way for the Thunderwolves was fifth year senior Bacarius Dinkins with 21 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. The Gryphons were led defensively by
Drew Walford who had 4 steals, 2 blocks and 6 rebounds to go with 6 points on the night. Walford also electrified the home crowd with a reverse dunk on a fast break during the 2nd quarter.
The Gryphons and Thunderwolves will be right back at it once again on Saturday night for the second half of their back-to-back matchup.
The top 12 teams in the OUA's RPI rankings qualify for the playoffs. The Gryphons currently sit 14th with two games remaining. Saturday night's matchup versus Lakehead will be a must-win for the Gryphs if they are to reach the postseason. Tip is set for 8pm and can be seen live online at www.oua.tv.
