GUELPH, Ont. – A 32-point third quarter was just enough to earn the Lakehead Thunderwolves a third straight OUA men’s basketball triumph.
Nathan Bilamu scored a regular-season high 20 points on Friday night and Harold Santacruz poured in 19 of his own, leading the Thunderwolves past the host Guelph Gryphons 87-84.
Jonathan Goode and Tyler Sagl also posted double-digit points, putting up 15 and 11 points respectively, which helped to fill the scoring gap on a team that’s lost all-star Laoui Msambya, who didn’t return after the Christmas break, and was playing without suspended guard Chris Sagl.
Lakehead trailed 21-18 after one, but closed the gap to a single point by half, then outscored the Gryphons 32-19 in the third to take a 71-58 lead after 30 minutes.
The T-Wolves had no answer for Guelph’s Dazayen Mingo, who put up a game-high 30 points, completing the double-double with 11 rebounds.
Guelph outscored Lakehead 25-16 in the fourth, closing to within two on a Shaathan Walker layup with 69 seconds to go.
LU struggled at the line down the stretch, but Goode hit one of two with two seconds to play and the clock wound down.
The T-Wolves improved to 5-8 and climbed to within half a game of York for the 12th and final playoff spot.
Lakehead heads to Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday for a date with the one-win Algoma Thunderbirds.
