GUELPH, Ont. – The Gryphon men's basketball team fell to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in heartbreaking fashion on Friday night in what was a thrilling 2022-23 home opening game. While the Gryphons started slow and found themselves trailing for much of the game, they battled back to eventually retake the lead with just minutes remaining. After both teams traded fouls, free throws, and baskets for the remaining few minutes the Golden Hawks would take the win 92-91 after a buzzer-beating jumper.
The Gryphons (0-1) and Golden Hawks (2-1) would open the game with a tightly contested first quarter. With both teams forcing a number of turnovers and capitalizing on them, it would be the Golden Hawks three-point shooting that would give them the edge to open the game.
Heading into the second frame down five points the Gryphons clawed their way back in the early minutes of the second quarter, cutting the Golden Hawk's lead to just 37-35. The second quarter would come to a close with the Gryphons trailing but thanks to a
Dezayne Mingo buzzer-beating three they would head into the locker room only down by six.
In the third quarter the Golden Hawks offence would take a step forward, giving them the lead by as many as 13 points for much of the period.
Emmanuel Ansah played a key role in the Gryphons comeback attempt, knocking down 6 threes over the course of the game and putting up a team-high 24 points. Laurier and Guelph would head into the final frame with just 7 points separating the two teams.
It would take the Gryphons until the 3:13 mark remaining in the game before they would recapture the lead for the first time since the opening quarter. A
Rasheed Weekes three would give the Gryphs an 83-80 lead. Weekes would finish the game with 14 points, second most for the Gryphons. The teams would trade possessions and a few fouls before being tied at 87 apiece with 37 seconds remaining. With 4 seconds on the clock
Jalen Mason would appear to have the game winner after he made an acrobatic layup to give the Gryphons a 91-90 lead. On the ensuing possession Jamyah Brown Jeffer would take a mid-range jumper as time expired to solidify a 92-91 win for the Golden Hawks.
The Gryphons performance on Friday night was thanks to a committee approach on offence, receiving 52 of their 91 points from players coming off the bench.
Dylan McFee (9 points) and Matthew Oliver (8 points) played key roles down the stretch for the Gryphons on route to their 4
th quarter comeback.
The Gryphons (0-2) will look to bounce back and avenge their buzzer-beater loss on Wednesday night in Waterloo when they take on the Golden Hawks (3-1) once again.
