From the opening tip up to the final buzzer, U of T’s men’s basketball team out-shot, out-defended, and out-did the Waterloo Warriors in every possible way. The Blues won 91-65 in their home opener on November 11 at the Goldring Centre. The 26-point margin was thanks, in part, to forward Devin Johnson, who turned in a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Enhancing the success of individual players, the win was truly a team effort.
With U of T and Waterloo both coming in winless on the season, one would have expected both squads to come in with clearly formulated game plans and points to prove. It became apparent that U of T came with both and Waterloo came with neither. The Blues had a full court press established from the opening possession in order to turn over balls and take advantage of the Warriors in transition. They scored 19 points off turnovers compared to Waterloo’s nine. An even greater advantage for the Blues came off the glass, where they raked in 56 rebounds compared to the Warriors’ 33. As the Blues dominated the shooting percentage, their overwhelming victory was complete.
Devin Johnson took home player of the game honors — deservedly so — but a host of other team members actively contributed to the win on home court. First year athletes Daniel Johansson (16 points, 6 rebounds and a block) and Devon Williams (11 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists) gave excellent performances, proving that the men’s basketball program has a talented freshman core to build upon. Ranking second in the OUA, in points per- game, Waterloo guard John Ravenhorst played an exceptional game, driving hard and scoring 19 points.
The Blues will attempt to build on this impressive win on January 8 when they take on GTA rivals York at home.
