February 25, 2010
GOLDEN HAWKS STUN MUSTANGS IN MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYOFF
LONDON, Ont. - The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks upset the host Western Mustangs 89-70 in the first round of the OUA men's basketball playoffs at Alumni Hall.
"It was awesome to win our first playoff game," said Laurier point guard Travis Berry (St. Catharines, Ont.) following the win. The last time the Golden Hawks won a playoff game was on March 17, 2006 against the York Lions at the CIS Final 10.
Laurier came on out fire in the first quarter, with Kale Harrison (Stratford, Ont.) scoring 10 points alone for the Hawks. All told the Purple and Gold held at 24-15 lead after one. The Golden Hawks kept coming in the second, this time with team captain Jesse MacDonald (Brantford, Ont.) leading the charge with 12 points in the quarter. By half Laurier was shooting 45.5 percent from the floor, while the Mustangs were hitting 37 percent of their shots. At the break, the visitors led 49-28.
Western kept pace with the visitors in the third, with each squad scoring 17. Late in the third, MacDonald took a jump shot and went down. He had been leading the team with 19 points. Laurier regrouped in the fourth with the Mustangs playing some strong defence.
"Defensive intensity and communication was the difference in this game," said Laurier wing Conor Meschino (Oakville, Ont.). "Our big guys really played hard down low."
Four Hawks hit double-digits including Harrison with 21, MacDonald with 19, Maxwell Allin (Chatham, Ont.) with 17 and Berry with 14. Matthew Buckley (Waterloo, Ont.) led all players with 14 rebounds.
"They were a good team and the boys played really well," said Laurier head coach Peter Campbell. "We shot the ball better and played with more confidence than the previous two times we played them"
The Mustangs were led by Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.) and Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) who both had 22 points on the night. Marcus Barnett (Hampton, Va.) also chipped in 11 in the loss. Western's top rebounder was Wedemire with nine.
"We've played Windsor twice this year in two close games, so if we work hard we'll be right there with them," commented Meschino.
Laurier will now advance to the OUA West semifinals to take on the Windsor Lancers on Saturday, Feb. 27 in Windsor at 8 p.m.
Source: Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
"It was awesome to win our first playoff game," said Laurier point guard Travis Berry (St. Catharines, Ont.) following the win. The last time the Golden Hawks won a playoff game was on March 17, 2006 against the York Lions at the CIS Final 10.
Laurier came on out fire in the first quarter, with Kale Harrison (Stratford, Ont.) scoring 10 points alone for the Hawks. All told the Purple and Gold held at 24-15 lead after one. The Golden Hawks kept coming in the second, this time with team captain Jesse MacDonald (Brantford, Ont.) leading the charge with 12 points in the quarter. By half Laurier was shooting 45.5 percent from the floor, while the Mustangs were hitting 37 percent of their shots. At the break, the visitors led 49-28.
Western kept pace with the visitors in the third, with each squad scoring 17. Late in the third, MacDonald took a jump shot and went down. He had been leading the team with 19 points. Laurier regrouped in the fourth with the Mustangs playing some strong defence.
"Defensive intensity and communication was the difference in this game," said Laurier wing Conor Meschino (Oakville, Ont.). "Our big guys really played hard down low."
Four Hawks hit double-digits including Harrison with 21, MacDonald with 19, Maxwell Allin (Chatham, Ont.) with 17 and Berry with 14. Matthew Buckley (Waterloo, Ont.) led all players with 14 rebounds.
"They were a good team and the boys played really well," said Laurier head coach Peter Campbell. "We shot the ball better and played with more confidence than the previous two times we played them"
The Mustangs were led by Ryan Barbeau (Belleville, Ont.) and Andrew Wedemire (Sarnia, Ont.) who both had 22 points on the night. Marcus Barnett (Hampton, Va.) also chipped in 11 in the loss. Western's top rebounder was Wedemire with nine.
"We've played Windsor twice this year in two close games, so if we work hard we'll be right there with them," commented Meschino.
Laurier will now advance to the OUA West semifinals to take on the Windsor Lancers on Saturday, Feb. 27 in Windsor at 8 p.m.
Source: Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
