The Niagara College men's basketball program continued their strong 2014 pre-season on Thursday night, defeating the visiting Durham Lords 100-87 in front of a large crowd at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre. The win gives the Knights four wins in their last five games.
The lone defeat came at the hands of the top-ranked Mohawk Mountaineers in the championship game of the St. Lawrence College Invitational last weekend.
The 2014-15 Knights feature a much different make up than in 2013-14. During the summer off-season, new head coach Keith Vassell was brought in. The former Brandon Bobcats head coach immediately undertook a vigorous recruiting program.
Only six players from the 2013-14 are back with the team; dominant 'bigman' Ryan Christie (Hamilton), veterans Aidan Alize-Minty (Elmvale) and Lawrence McNeil (St. Catharines), and swingmen Ty Rogers (Brampton), Levi Mukuna (Hamilton), and Aaron Champman (Huntsville) are all back.
Joining the returning veterans are a talented group of recruits in U.S. college transfers Trevon Ash and Darius James, high flying Delroy Grandison of the Bahamas, guards Demoy Green (Ajax), Lequan Hylton (Mississauga), and Tristan Bromfield (Hamilton), and forwards Tom Dykstra (Grimsby) and Andrew Animansah (Toronto).
The new look Knights have shown flashes of their potential in the early stages of the 2014-15 season, including their wire-to-wire victory over the Lords on Thursday.
Niagara College never trailed in the contest, led 25-7 at the end of the first quarter, and carried a 50-35 lead into the half.
"We started off the game very well" commented Coach Vassell. "Our defensive pressure helped to result in easy transition baskets. We continued playing well into half time with our strong defensive play. I felt like we really controlled the game well in the first half."
In the second half the Knights turned to their bench in order to give their depth some valuable experience competing at the OCAA level. All 13 players dressed saw significant playing time and each recorded points.
Coach Vassell felt that some "foul trouble" in the second half allowed "Durham to attack better against us when our intensity level was reduced."
The Lords outscored the Knights 29-18 in the fourth quarter but Niagara still walked away with the 13 point victory.
The Knights were led offensively by six-foot-eight center Ryan Christie, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The fifth year veteran is expected to play a major role in the Knights game plan this season.
Fresh off being named to the tournament all-star team at the St. Lawrence Invitational, first-year guard Delroy Grandison continued his strong play, finishing the game with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Lequan Hylton (13), Trevon Ash (12), and Levi Mukuna (9) rounded out the Knights offensive leaders in the contest.
Up next for the Knights is the Durham Lords Invitational being held October 17-18th. The team will tip-off their 2014-15 regular season on October 21st when they visit the Sheridan Bruins.
