By: Zack Noureddine
It could have gone either way for the Algonquin Thunder men’s basketball team last Saturday who fell one basket short of a victory against the Seneca Sting.
70-68 was the final score on Dec. 1 as the Thunder headed back home to break for the holidays and reassess their progress.
“We held a seven point lead going in to the last minute,” said Trevor Costello, Algonquin Thunder head coach. “The turnovers were our enemy in the end and that’s why we lost. The play executions did not go in our favour.”
“…The same reason we lost Friday’s game as well,” Costello continued.
The Sting broke a tie in the final minute to put a 69-66 score on the board with 43.6 seconds left on the clock. Although the Thunder were quick to counteract, the Sting lead 70-68 with 13.5 seconds remaining and locked in the win.
Prior to Saturday’s game, The Thunder stopped by Centennial College to face the Colts. Like the loss to the Sting, the Thunder fell one basket short of a victory. The final score was 85-83.
All three of the Thunder’s season losses thus far have been away games, including this past weekend’s back-to-back against the Sting and the Colts.
The Thunder men currently hold a 7-3 win/loss record with a .700 winning percentage.
“It gets tough to play on the road,” said Costello. “The chemistry is always there, but the hassle of long bus rides, getting in and out and settling in to new environments tends to take its toll. On top of that, we were playing a very tough opponent who had home advantage.”
“We are certainly using the break to our advantage,” said Costello. “It’s important to reassess our strengths and weaknesses and to return after the holidays headstrong. We will recover.”
The Thunder will follow the holiday break to redeem the loss on Jan. 12 when they take to the road to play the Cambrian Golden Shield for the eleventh game of the season.
“We need to ensure every execution, every play goes the way we plan it to,” said Costello. “The season is far from over and our record is well enough still to give us the momentum we need to be successful.”
For schedule, results and news, visit the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association website at www.ocaa.com