WATERLOO, Ont. - If you've watched all three of the most recent Golden Hawks men's basketball games, it may be time to get your heart checked.
After a buzzer-beater win in Guelph on Friday and a fourth-quarter comeback that came just short in Toronto on Saturday, Laurier once again found themselves in a tight game down the stretch against the Gryphons on Saturday.
This time, they were at home, in front of a packed crowd that had the Athletic Complex rocking on a Wednesday night. The Golden Hawks faithful saw their team pull through for the overtime win, 102-96.
"On the sideline, you can't ask for anything better, that type of energy is good, and it helps us down the stretch," said Manager of Men's Basketball Operations and Head Coach Justin Serresse. "[Even when] we were down, we feed off that energy and feel like we're still in the game."
"All the fans here, we love it," agreed Ben Stevens. "Especially the football guys. They always come out and show great support."
Serresse opted for a new-look starting lineup following Saturday's loss to the Varsity Blues, with Majok Deng and Vladimir Lukomski making their first starts of the season, and Stevens, the usual starting centre, coming off the bench.
It proved a good call, as the purple and gold started the game with an 11-2 run.
From there, Guelph was able to claw their way back into the game, bringing the score to 23-17 for Laurier at the end of the first quarter.
The Gryphons then opened the second quarter with an 8-1 run to take their first lead. It was one they'd keep through most of the middle quarters, but as Serresse noted, the game never seemed far from the Golden Hawks' grasp with the crowd as engaged as they were.
With the score tied 40-40 at halftime, Guelph again started the third quarter with a big 7-0 run. The Gryphons took a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter thanks to their strong performance on the boards. They grabbed ten rebounds to Laurier's five, with six coming on the offensive glass.
While the Golden Hawks' defence did a good job limiting Guelph to just two second-chance points, they couldn't build any momentum with the Gryphons holding possessions for so long.
In the final frame, Laurier went lights out from the field, making 13 of their 20 attempts. Leading the way offensively - on his birthday, no less - was Ethan Passley, who had eight of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter.
He also was one of the main reasons the Golden Hawks pushed the game to overtime, as he came up with two of the greatest plays we've seen so far this season for Laurier, late in the game.
"I knew we had to get a bucket, and I just went for it," said Passley when asked about the tying shot. "What was crazy is I hit the same shot in practice, in the same corner, so it's an in-rhythm shot. So I thought, 'Ok, I gotta make this,' and, luckily, it went in."
Overtime, meanwhile, belonged to the fifth-year veteran Stevens. He had eight of his game-high 20 points in the five-minute period, including an emphatic dunk to push the game out of reach with just under a minute to play.
When asked how he's able to play so well in the clutch moments, something we've seen from him before, Stevens immediately gave credit to his teammates.
"I would say it's just mental resiliency and playing as a team. Once everyone plays well together, we turn it on and build off each other. It's a team fight towards the end."
With the win, the Golden Hawks improve to 3-2 on the season, while the Gryphons fall to 0-3.
TOP PERFORMERS
Laurier Golden Hawks
Ben Stevens attributed his season-best offensive performance to being more aggressive and assertive in the paint. That's likely part of the reason behind his season-high and game-high 12 rebounds, as well.
Guelph Gryphons
Second-year guard Jalen Mason led his team in points (19), assists (five), and minutes played (40). He did it all shooting 64% from the field, and pulled down six rebounds as well.
UP NEXT
The Golden Hawks will be back in action Saturday, November 19 at 8 p.m., when they'll be in Thunder Bay to take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves. Follow @WLUAthletics for live updates and watch live on OUA.tv.
