MBB | Voyageurs Blowout Thunderbirds

The Laurentian Voyageurs won convincingly on Friday night against the Algoma Thunderbirds after a night honouring Kobe Bryant.

Both teams accrued 24-second shot clock violations to start the match to honour the legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers who lost his life tragically in a helicopter crash this past Sunday morning. It was a solemn moment for all and was one way to honour the life and legacy of one of the greatest human beings who has ever roamed this earth. Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant and all those who lost their lives, heaven has now become a much better place with you in it. 

The Voyageurs got off to a flying start with an 8-3 run to begin the match but the Thunderbirds came roaring back, thanks in large part to Maxime Bellony who scored five points in a span of 20 seconds to tie the match up at 10 points a piece. The Voyageurs regained the lead through Sam Ivey and Gaetan Chaman and would then go on to score 14 points to ensure their lead was kept in-tact. The Voyageurs shot a spectacular 61.5% from the field, whereas the Thunderbirds shot 42.9% from the field. Leading the way in scoring from the Voyageurs Kadre Gray with eight points and Joseph Hlady with six points while the Thunderbirds were led by Bellony with five points and Nicholas Gehlen and Brandon Dwyer with four points each. 

The Voyageurs put their stamp on the match in the second quarter by scoring 30 points and restricting the Thunderbirds to 19. They shot 52.6% from the field while restricting the Thunderbirds to 46.7% shooting. As a result, the Voyageurs entered the half with a 17-point lead as the scoreboard read 54-37. Hlady from the Voyageurs led the way with 10 points and was followed closely by Fafa Ceesay with six points. On the other hand, the Thunderbirds were led by Dwyer with 12 points and Bellony with seven points. 

The Voyageurs continued their offensive style of play in the third quarter and extended their lead further to 23 points. At the quarter's end, the scoreboard read 83-60. The Voyageurs however shot 45.0% whereas the Thunderbirds shot 50.0% from the field. Gray was the leading scorer from the Voyageurs in the quarter with eight points whereas Hlady was in close second with seven points. The Thunderbirds were led by Dwyer with seven points and Peter Wetuvanga and Khaleel Sutherland with five points each. 

The fourth quarter was more of the same than third where the Voyageurs kept the pressure on and did not allow their lead to be threatened in any manner possible. The Voyageurs shot a remarkable 58.3% from the field while the Thunderbirds shot 40.0% from the field. The Voyageurs were led by Curtis Gordon with six points and Hlady with five points while the Thunderbirds were led by Devin Miron with eight points and Wetuvanga and Cole Evans with four points each. The Voyageurs scored a season-high 104 points, the first time they've broken 100 points this year.  

Joseph Hlady scored a game high 28-points and credited his accurate shooting for achieving this feat: "I shot the ball pretty well and executed the offense really well so that is what we did best" said Hlady in his post-game comments.

He also commented on what the team needs to improve on to be successful in the future as they chase a National championship: "We need to improve on our defence mainly I think, defence, they hit a couple of shots that they shouldn't have hit, we got a couple of possessions that we kind of laid back on so we just have to tune up our defence and come back stronger next game. We're just focused on the end-goal, working hard. That is what we are focused on, the National championship and just working everyday towards getting that goal."

The Voyageurs will now close out their home regular season tomorrow when they take on the Guelph Gryphons on senior night at Ben Avery Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 pm, and there will be ceremonies before and after the game to honour the five graduating players.

Wali Khan