Friday, November 13th saw two of the top men's basketball teams in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association lock horns in a matchup that proved up to its billing. The No. 8 ranked Niagara Knights travelled to Sheridan to take on the No. 2 ranked Bruins in a dramatic affair that saw the home side edge the Knights 75-73 in overtime.
The back-and-forth affair saw the two sides trade leads throughout the contest. A chaotic final 11 seconds saw the Knights with go from holding possession of the ball with a three point lead, to the Bruins hitting a seemingly improbable three pointer with just two seconds remaining to force overtime.
"This is a hard fought but tough loss" said the Knights second year head coach Keith Vassell. "A few errors and mental lapses proved the difference."
In a game saw a total of 14 lead changes, the Knights managed to outrebound, shoot for a higher field goal percentage, and saw their bench out produce their Brampton counterparts. The difference however may have been a cold shooting streak by the Knights from the free throw line. Despite getting to the line an impressive 31 times, the team converted on just 16 attempts.
The Bruins received a strong offensive performance from veteran guard Dylan Periana. The Brampton native finished with a game high 23 points while also adding eight rebounds.
The Knights were led by veteran wing Marako Lundy (Nassau, Bahamas) who finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Rookie guard DJ Morrison (Scarborough) turned in 15 points, while Tenerro Ferguson (Nassau, Bahamas) added 14.
The Knights will return to action on Friday, November 20th when the team hosts the Fanshawe Falcons at 8:00pm at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre.
