Gryphon men fall short in attempt to climb out of hole
WINDSOR – A fourth-quarter comeback attempt by the Guelph Gryphons fell a little short as they were nipped 82-78 by the Windsor Lancers in OUA men’s basketball play Sunday at Windsor’s Toldo Lancer Centre.
The Gryphs scored 31 points in the final quarter, closing from a 21-point margin at the end of the third quarter to the final four-point gap. A 16-2 run by the Gryphs early in the fourth quarter erased a good chunk of the gap.
Windsor led 23-22 at the end of the first quarter, 49-29 at halftime and 68-47 at the end of the third quarter.
Dezayne Mingo led the Gryphs with 30 points and he also had six rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Emmanuel Ansah had 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals while Raef Wykes had 12 points while Viktoras Nausedas had eight rebounds.
Daniel Cummings had 26 points and six rebounds for Windsor while Yohann Sam had 14 points and Denzel Cummins and Segun Akinbulumo each had 11 points. Xavier Ochu had 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals while Akinbulumo and Yashar Greaves-Saadat each had a block.
The Gryphs shot 36 percent on field goals, 27 percent on three-pointers and 83 percent on free throws and they also scored 28 points in the paint, 23 points off Windsor turnovers, seven second-chance points, 18 points from their bench and they also had 31 rebounds, 12 assists, 11 turnovers, no blocks and 10 steals.
Windsor shot 42 percent on field goals, 36 percent on three-pointers and 78 percent on free throws. The Lancers scored 28 points in the paint, 13 points off Guelph turnovers, seven second-chance points, 18 points from their bench and they also had 39 rebounds, 16 assists, 14 turnovers, two blocks and five steals.
The result leaves the Gryphs fourth in the OUA West at 5-13 and Windsor fifth at 4-14. Laurier Golden Hawks lead at 13-5 while the Western Mustangs are second at 13-6, Waterloo Warriors third at 6-12 and Algoma Thunderbirds sixth at 2-16.
Guelph is 14th overall with four games to go in its regular season. Top 12 qualify for the playoffs and the Brock Badgers are 12th at 8-11.
The Gryphs are to play the York Lions (tied for 10th at 9-9) at York’s Tait McKenzie Centre Wednesday at 8 p.m. and close out their home portion of the schedule Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre against Western in their Senior Night/Alumni Day Game.
- Guelph Sports Journal