By Christine Hosler
Courtesy of the Sideliner [1]
[2]Loyalist Lancers Kevin Owusu reaches around a Cambrian Golden Shield player during their Friday game. The Lancers basketball team won both their games over the weekend. Photo by Christine Hosler.
It was just too little too late.
The men and women both played two games each this weekend, not unusual.
There were only two games won this weekend, also not unusual.
However, both games went to the men’s basketball team, which was unusual.
“It’d be great if we did it earlier in the season so we could have been somewhere from the wins,” said Rich Whitfield, head coach for the men’s team. “But the guys are finally showing some toughness. It wasn’t consistent through the whole game but when we needed it we showed it.”
And with a couple regular players including Calvin Chevannes seeing more bench time than usual, some other players got their chance to shine.
“When a guy like [Kevin Owusu] comes in, he’s thinking you know, this is my time,” said Patrick Kalala, guard on the men’s team. “So he came in and he seized the moment.”
Whitfield agreed.
“[Kevin Owusu] was borderline red shirt at the beginning of the year, ” said Whitfield. “He’s just worked hard on his game and he’s come a long way. He’s played considerable minutes in the last two days and been successful.”
The men beat the Cambrian Golden Shield 70-56 Friday night, and the Seneca Sting 74-73 in a close game that was fought until the end by both teams.
“It was good that we did this late but, good teams really always give 100 per cent the whole time,” said Kalala. “And it’s not that we don’t give 100 per cent, it’s more that we have mental lapses.”
Even though they didn’t make the playoffs, Whitfield said they’re still going to play hard until the end.
“You know, play spoiler to some of the bigger teams that need wins from us, and hurt the other teams that don’t need wins from us,” said Whitfield. “And you know, grow for next year.”
The two wins from the weekend put the men’s record at 7-11, and in eighth place along with Fleming.
[3]The Lady Lancers Sierra Cauley blocks a Seneca player during their Saturday game. The women went 0-2 this weekend, although Friday's game was an exhibition match against the Cambrian Golden Shield. Photo by Christine Hosler.
For the women, there just wasn’t the energy to match the intensity of the other teams.
“We’re short benched,” said Haley Sisler, guard for the women’s team. “Some of us are sick, some of us are injured. I, of course, am sick.”
Jenni Thomson is out with a foot injury, and during Saturday’s game Martine Gauvin, a key player for the women, took a hard hit to the head. She played briefly after that, but was quickly taken out of the game, and likely has a concussion.
The women fell 51- 45 in their Friday exhibition match to Cambrian on Friday, and hard to the Seneca Sting on Saturday 82-36.
The women still sit in fourth place, with an 8-6 record.
Both teams play a home game on Friday against Centennial starting at 6 p.m.