With about 13 minutes remaining in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) basketball quarterfinal between the Varsity Blues and the Queen’s Golden Gaels, a loud thud startled the crowd. The sound was that of a player hitting the floor, just like his team’s chance at a playoff victory last Wednesday.
Toronto’s Mo Safarzadeh had just stolen the ball and tipped it ahead for OUA first-team all-star Michael Williams, who had a wide-open lane to the basket. As he went up to dunk, Williams was fouled from behind by a Queen’s player and went down in a heap. The noise alone was enough to make you shudder, but the idea that it was a body hitting the floor made it even worse.
The Blues started off the game with a load of energy on defence, but the open looks they had on offence were just not falling. Guard Dwayne Grant made several jumpers from the outside on this night, but also had a few key lay-ups rattle off the rim.
The second-year player looked to be pressing a bit, but his constant attacks to the rim put a lot of pressure on a volatile Queen’s defense. Grant finished with 13 points on a tough shooting night (5 for 18, 28 per cent).
Early in the first half, with the score tied at 11, the Golden Gaels went on an 11-3 run to take the lead, 22-14. The run was halted when guard Paul Sergautis nailed a huge three-ball to cut the Queen’s lead to five soon after.
Sergautis’ effort was nullified, though, when Queen’s forward Logan Rivers came back with a three of his own. The shot increased the lead to eight (25-17)-an advantage they managed to maintain until halftime.
Then Williams went down hard midway through the second half and the whole structure of the game changed. While the forward had contributed little on the offensive end till that point-having only scored two points-his presence on defence was unmistakable. Williams, while not blocking any shots, altered the mindset of any Queen’s player entering the lane.
Williams attempted to come back minutes later, but was in obvious pain, grimacing as he ran up and down the court.
His efforts were symbolic of how the team as a whole played in this contest. The Blues continued to fight at both ends of the court, even though one of their star players was hurt and despite the fact that shots were not dropping for them.
Toronto battled on after Williams left the game, even managing to tie up the score at 47 with about six minutes to go. Queen’s then pulled ahead 52-48 on a three-pointer and a lay-up inside.
Grant attempted to bring the team back when he penetrated into the lane and dished the ball off to Sergautis, who then sunk a three-point shot of his own. The Blues got within one point of Queen’s late, managing to get the score to 52-51, but Toronto would come no closer to victory.
The Golden Gaels continued to make shots from all over the floor, ending the playoff aspirations of the Blues two games earlier than Toronto would have liked.
Guard Jordan Balaban led Queen’s in scoring with 13 points, while also grabbing nine rebounds. Sergautis led all scorers with 15 points in the contest, but it wasn’t enough to bring his team to victory.
