LONDON, Ont. - The Golden Hawks could not have ended 2023 any better than they did. Their last week of games saw them defeat #9 TMU and a Brock team they hadn't beat in almost a decade, with the latter victory coming on a wild 13-point comeback in the final two minutes.
They were handed a tough test in #5 Western to begin the new year, and picked up right where they left off with another impressive win, making their case to be considered among the best teams Canada even more undeniable.
Once again, it was the backcourt duo of Taye Donald and DeAndrae Pierre leading the way, as they combined for 48 points in what would be a 91-83 victory.
Donald and Pierre started alongside Majok Deng, who made his first appearance since November 23 after missing time due to injury. Deng didn't miss a step, and was the standout in the first quarter, making plays on both ends of the court.
A back-and-forth period saw Western take the lead off a 13-4 run, and they held a 24-20 advantage heading into the second quarter.
The Golden Hawks responded, led by Pierre's strong play at point guard. Rookie guard Maxwell Voorpool also saw minutes in the quarter, marking his return from a pre-season injury.
The two teams remained neck-and-neck until an 11-0 Laurier run late in the quarter, and the score was 45-39 Golden Hawks at halftime.
Laurier's lead was due in large part to their ability to completely shut down Mustangs leading scorer Aryan Sharma, who did not record a point until early in the third quarter. The remaining two thirds of Western's usual big three offensive players – Jerric Palma and Tyson Dunn – managed only a combined 11 points in the first half.
Even as the Mustangs lead horses slowly found their legs, the Golden Hawks had an answer. Again, it was Pierre hitting big shots, including a three-pointer to cap off a 7-2 run.
Trailing 66-56 heading into the final frame, Western fought back with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to three points. Donald shut the door with five straight points before Pierre sealed the deal with a late contested three-pointer.
Both Sharma and Palma failed to hit double-digits in points, the first time that has ever happened in a game both players started. While it took a complete team effort to keep both stars contained, Manager of men's basketball operations and head coach Justin Serresse emphasized the role Deng plays on defence.
"I look at him as one of the most versatile defenders at his position in the OUA," he said. At 6'9", Deng is the tallest player on Laurier's roster, but is able to defend effectively in the paint and on the perimeter. This makes him extremely valuable, especially against teams with multiple dynamic scorers like the Mustangs.
"When our defense was struggling in the first half of the season, not having him, it was hard to come up with different ways to guard. With him you can do a whole lot of different things, so again having him back is crucial and hopefully we can count on him for the rest of the season."
Deng finished with a season-high 12 points and six rebounds. He is credited with only one block at the time of writing, but knocked away at least three shots in the first quarter alone.
With the win, the Golden Hawks improve to 9-2 on the season and extend their lead over the Mustangs (7-3) atop the OUA West division. With Ottawa dropping their first game of the season, Laurier now sits just one game back of the conference lead.
BY THE NUMBERS
25
DeAndrae Pierre's game-high 25 points also marked the veteran transfer student's highest total as a Golden Hawk. He did it on incredibly efficient 8-1 shooting from the field, including 2-2 from beyond the arc while going a perfect 7-7 from the free-throw line. He also had a team-high five assists.
24.5
Meanwhile, Pierre's backcourt partner Taye Donald's 23 points on the night keeps him atop the OUA leaderboard with 24.5 points per game.
UP NEXT
The Golden Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday, January 10 when they make the short trip up University Avenue to take on the Waterloo Warriors on the road. Follow @WLUAthletics for live updates and catch all the action on OUA.tv.
