GUELPH, Ont. - As the Guelph Gryphon's five graduating seniors took the court Sunday afternoon at the GGAC to tip off against the Toronto Varsity Blues, they were sure to soak in the sights and sounds of their final OUA regular season home game in a Gryphon's uniform. With that said, there was still plenty on the line for the home team, who sit in the thick of a tight playoff race late in the season.
After their five seniors tipped off the game, and got the Gryphons off to a solid start on the offensive end, the rest of the team then pitched in to help guide the Gryphons to a much desired 87-69 victory over Toronto.
When the two teams lined up a centre court for the opening tip, Gryphon's head coach Mark Walton trotted out Ivana Vujadinovic, Sarah Holmes, Modupe Okeowo, Ashley Wheeler and Nyasha Mombeshora as each senior was able to get a touch on the ball early on. Trailing 13-9 following some sharp shooting from the visitors, Walton called a time-out and his team then went out and executed his plan. Scoring ten straight points, the Gryphons quickly turned the momentum of the contest and began to establish a lead of their own holding a 28-21 advantage after one quarter of play.
Following a strong push from the Varsity Blues throughout the second, the Gryphons were able to fight back just before the half. Having seen their lead evaporate, largely in thanks to Toronto's ability to shoot from behind the three point line, the Gryphons returned the favour netting a couple of late threes from Holmes and Skyla Minaker to give Guelph a 44-39 lead at the break.
Coming out of the half, the Gryphons continued to battle. Trying to deal with a pesky Varsity Blues team, it didn't seem to matter what the Gryphons did, Toronto would find a way to battle back. Guelph was able to get their lead as high as eight in the quarter but the Varsity Blues would continue to find ways to trim it back down to one possession. As the buzzer sounded to end the third, both teams had tallied 18 points a piece, giving Guelph a 62-57 lead heading into the final ten minutes of play.
Holding a five point advantage to start the fourth quarter, the Gryphons ramped up the pressure. Playing nearly a perfect quarter, the Gryphons began to convert time and time again on the offensive end, while shutting down the Varsity Blues on the other end. Outscoring Toronto 25-12 in the quarter, the Gryphons built a comfortable lead, which allowed for Coach Walton to end the game just like he started it, with all five of his graduating seniors on the floor to dribble out the clock.
"To see the reaction from the team, and to see the reaction from the fans that were here when the seniors dribbled the game out, it takes you to a new level as a coach, a mentor and a teacher," said Gryphon's head coach Mark Walton. "When you see these young women do what they did, start together and finish together, it is beyond my ability to be able to describe what it means."
Leading the way for the Gryphons on the stat sheet, Modupe Okeowo put forth an 18 point effort. Tallying the team lead in assists was Skyla Minaker with 11 to go along with her 14 points in a double-double effort, while it was Ashley Wheeler crashing the glass all afternoon collecting 8 rebounds.
The Gryphons will now finish their regular season on the road when they head to Sault Ste. Marie for a pair of weekend games against the Algoma Thunderbirds. The first of those two games will take place February 14 at 6:00.
