GUELPH, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons men's basketball team is getting that winning feeling. The Gryphons rode a big 22-point performance from
Banky Alade to beat the Nipissing Lakers 81-80 Friday night at the GGAC.
Alade had his best night of the season and was critical down the stretch. He had an important put-back in the dying minutes and the accounted for the winning points when he made a sweet spin move on the baseline and finished with a soft touch to get the Gryphons up by a single point.
Nipissing had a final possession to win it with 27 seconds left on the clock but
Tommy Yanchus came up with a big block and the Gryphons snared a loose ball from a scramble in the key as the final seconds ran off the clock for their second straight win.
Tommy Yanchus gets his hands up on D
Alade, a third-year forward from Sherwood Park, AB, also had a game-high 12 boards (7 on the offensive glass), while Yanchus chipped in 15 points.
It was a tight game most of the night and the Gryphons overcame a couple miscues down the stretch. Guelph turned the ball over on an inbounds play at 75-75, allowing Nipissing to take a lead on a bucket from Ashitei Shandon. But
Malcolm Glanville (8 points, 6 rebounds and a steal) knocked down a couple free throws to tie it up.
Trevor Hutton then hit a long, step-back two for a 79-77 Guelph lead but Ashitei scored and was fouled, making the free throw for the 80-79 lead.
That would set the stage for Alade's game-winner, which showed the desire he played with all night.
Despite making just 3 of 16 from long range, the Gryphons had a nice night from the floor, hitting 30 of 65 field goal attempts (46.2 per cent), and going 18 of 26 from the line (69.2 per cent). Guelph also out-rebounded the Lakers 44-29 and had 28 points off the bench compared to 16 for Nipissing.
The Gryphons trailed 26-21 after the first quarter but were better in the second quarter, heading into the half down 44-42.
Gryphon Take
"We grinded it out and that's a character win at home. Banky took our team and put it on his shoulders." –
head coach Chris O'Rourke
The Record
Guelph is 2-5.
Next up
Laurentian, Sunday, Nov 18, 3 pm @ Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre
