Voyageurs Dodge Bullet to Edge Laurier
Top Performers
Laurentian; Isiah Pasquale: 32pts, 8reb, 9-18fg, 4-9 3fg, 10-14ft
Laurier; Maxwell Allin: 22pts, 4ast, 7reb, 5-10 3fg
SUDBURY,ON–In what was their tightest game of the season so far, the Laurentian Voyageurs (2-3) escaped with a narrow victory after Laurier (3-2) failed to hit a last-second buzzer-beater.
After a close first quarter, Laurentian rallied defensively in the second, limiting Laurier to only 13 points. The Golden Hawks fared better after the break, but thanks to the efficient Laurentian offense, the Golden Hawks still trailed by 10 at the start of the fourth. Several Laurier players found their strokes in the final period, during which Laurier mounted an impressive comeback, cutting the Voyageur lead to a single point after Laurentian turned the ball over on a couple of key possessions. Unfortunately for Laurier they failed to score on a last-ditch effort that would have given them their fourth win of the season.
Laurier struggled from long range after failing to find open looks against the Voyageurs’ zealous perimeter defence. However, their post presence was working overtime, and they grabbed 24 offensive rebounds compared to Laurentian’s 23 defensive rebounds. It was thanks to these second-chance opportunities that Laurier was able to keep the game tight.
The best player on the floor was Isiah Pasquale who, after struggling with his shot in Thunder Bay, netted 32 points on an incredibly efficient offensive outing. Pasquale shot 4-9 from beyond the arc and 10-14 from the charity stripe. Laurier had no answer for the double-edged sword of Pasquale as his quick dribble-drives forced the defence to sag off of him, freeing up space for him to stroke the three. Manny Pasquale had the second highest offensive output for the Voyageurs, scoring 14 points, three of which came on a half-court prayer at the end of the first quarter.
In the last meeting between these two teams, Laurier trounced the Voyageurs 83-55.
The voyageurs will look to carry their momentum into the next game against the Waterloo Warriors tomorrow night, while Laurier will try to rebound from this loss when they take on York University.
(Photo Courtesy: Laurier Athletics)
