GUELPH, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons men's basketball team was eager to get back to work in the New Year. And the Gryphons showed plenty of hunger with the visiting Lakehead Thunderwolves in town for a weekend doubleheader. The team took its lead from captain Tommy Yanchus, who put on another offensive show in a one-sided 95-73 win over the Thunderwolves Friday night at the GGAC.
Yanchus entered the night tied for ninth in OUA scoring (16.8 ppg) and bumped those numbers up after pacing all players with a career-high 37 points. Banky Alade also proved difficult to contain with 21 points (10 for 12 from the floor) and 11 rebounds, while Rasheed Weekes added 14 points.
Yanchus was scorching hot to start the third quarter and his outburst helped the Gryphons keep Lakehead at bay. The Guelph native, who figured his career-best in high school was about 38 points, began the half with a three-pointer from the left corner and then added another moments later. Yanchus then went to his left hand for a bucket and shortly after that, buried his fourth of the night from long range, accounting for the first 11 points of the second half and a 57-40 lead.
The Gryphons continued to build the lead and the GGAC crowd got a treat right before the end of third quarter as J.L. Nwosu ran the court and threw down a vicious left-handed dunk in traffic for a commanding 75-56 lead. Yanchus kept the good times going when he shook off a Lakehead defender, stepped back and swished his seventh three-ball of the game, bringing the fans out of their seats again. He would foul out shortly thereafter and left to huge applause.
Guelph was feeling it offensively early and after outscoring the Thunderwolves 27-19 in the opening quarter, the hosts added another 24 in the second to head into the half up 51-38.
The Gryphons shot 47.4 per cent from the field (37 of 78) and made nine of 21 three-point attempts, with Yanchus accounting for most of those. The hosts enjoyed a huge advantage on the boards, out-rebounding Lakehead 51-20.
Gryphon Take
"We were really revved up. I haven't played in a single playoff game since I've been here and this was a very important game for us to put ourselves in position and be in control of our own destiny. We need to come out with the same energy tomorrow because we certainly need two this weekend."
"Once I get a couple down, I start feeling good. I was getting good screens and guys were giving me good passes. Someone like Malcom (Glanville), he can get to the rim and score at will where I need a setup. They did a really good job of setting me up and they happened to go in." – Fourth-year guard Tommy Yanchus
"We were hungry for this. We know it's January – it's prime time now. We know the West is wide open. We needed to come out and make a statement and we have to forget about it now and get ready for tomorrow."
"You don't get a lot of kids like Tommy in your career as a coach. He's an unbelievable person with an unbelievable work ethic. He's made himself into a player. He is shooting the crap out of the ball. Tommy gets that narrow focus you have to have to be a shooter. You can see it in his eyes." – head coach Chris O'Rourke
The Record
Guelph is 4-7.
Next up
Lakehead, Saturday, Jan. 5, 8 pm @ Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre
