GUELPH – The OUA playoffs are in sight. And while post-season basketball has become a primary focus for many teams, the Guelph Gryphons wanted to show love for some key contributors to the program. The Gryphons earned a big 87-72 win over the Algoma Thunderbirds and celebrated with a trio of veterans on Senior Night at the GGAC.
 
Fourth-year players Megan Brenkel, Quincy Sickles-Jarvis and Haley Belyk were recognized in a post-game ceremony. The three players received commemorative plaques and with families in attendance, many tears were shed.

 
"Parting is such sweet sorrow, as they say," head coach Mark Walton said after an emotional night. "They are great kids to be around."
 
Walton said the theme was to "bring their A game for the seniors" – and the Gryphons obliged. Third-year guard Ivana Vujadinovic set a new career-high of 24 points, breaking her previous best of 19 set the night before. She also added 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Sarah Holmes, who recently returned to the lineup after an extended absence, added 19, while Ashley Wheeler chipped in 10 points.

Karina Cole led Algoma with 14 points, hitting 4 of her team's 9 three-pointers on the night.
 
Walton was thrilled with the back-to-back wins over Algoma on the weekend, which improved Guelph's record to 10-10. The Gryphons sit sixth in the OUA West and have their sights on a playoff date.
 
"It was key," the coach said. "We have four games left and if we get all four, we could host a playoff game. "It will be a tough road to hoe.
 
"We got going offensively tonight," he added of his team's play. "We shot 50 per cent from the floor, which is really good for us."
 
The seniors would make their mark early as a Sickles-Jarvis block led to Belyk hitting a jumper for the first points of the game. The Thunderbirds were eager to put their poor shooting from Friday night in the past and they were sharp early, hitting three three-pointers in the opening quarter en route to a 19-18 lead.
 
The Gryphons' offence found some flow in the second quarter and they consistently attacked Algoma, making open shots and driving to the hoop when the opportunity was there. The Thunderbirds hit 6 of 11 in from beyond the arc in the half but Guelph got another standout performance from Vujadinovic, who scored 14 first-half points on a 7-of-12 shooting performance, lifting the hosts to a 46-41 leading after two quarters.

 
A 6-0 run midway through put the Gryphons up 62-54 and they methodically pulled away from the Thunderbirds for an ideal result on Senior Night.
 
When Walton first met with the Gryphon Athletics staff to discuss the head coaching job, Belyk and Sickles-Jarvis were among a group of players that asked him questions.
 
"Getting to meet them on literally my first day, they made quite an impression on me immediately," he says. "It was evident they were players who had a passion for the game and their teammates. I love to be around kids like that. I knew this was the team for me."
 
Belyk is a co-captain for the second consecutive year, a role that is voted on my team members. Players select their top three choices and Belyk was almost unanimously first on all of the ballots. Walton respects her strength and noted that she severely injured her ankle last season, which still affects her, but the senior doesn't say a word about it.
 
"Haley's leadership on and off the court is phenomenal," said the coach. "Her work ethic is unmatched."

 
Sickles-Jarvis, another of the co-captains, has provided an incredible veteran presence for this young team. Walton said that her love of the game and her fellow teammates is evident. And they in turn respect the vocal 5-9 senior, who is often tasked with guarding much bigger players.
 
"I admire her greatly," Walton said of Sickles-Jarvis, comparing her to David having to face Goliath. "She finds it within herself to meet the match, and then some."
 
In Brenkel, Walton has a player who is an example of what varsity athletes should be. The versatile guard, who entered the weekend ranked 5th in the OUA in three-point percentage (37.3), had to play the point position last year but never shied away from the challenge despite her comfort on the wing. Brenkel is also a gifted student, with a 93.8 per cent average in pre-med.
 
"Megan has set a standard for our team in terms of academic excellence," the coach said. "She is an example for our program.
 
"These three are the kind of kids that I'm proud to be associated with."