THUNDER BAY – In a league that includes the Carleton Ravens, being No. 2 isn’t all that bad.
Having a guy like Isaiah Traylor leading the way certainly helps.
The American import, one of three Lakehead Thunderwolves playing their final OUA regular season game at the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse, scored 15 points in the opening quarter and left after dropping his 40th point midway through the third as the Wolves humiliated a road-weary Queen’s Gaels team 114-76 on Saturday night.
Traylor was a man on a mission, determined to make sure the Wolves got the two points they needed to stay ahead of the Western Mustangs, a team that rallied earlier in the day to edge the Windsor Lancers and pull even with LU on the final day of the 2019-20 campaign.
“There was something in the air tonight. We hit every shot. There was a lot of energy and a lot of guys stepped up who we needed to step up,” Traylor said after his career-high output.
“It was huge. My family was here and they don’t get to see me play a lot. I wanted to go out with a bang, but we still have one more game here so we’ll try to keep it rolling.”
Finishing No. 2 was the weekend goal.
“We talked about that a little bit. We took two tough losses in Windsor and Western, so those hurt. We said we have to bounce back. I’m a faith guy, so I believe in God, so God works in mysterious ways and it came out to be the best for us,” the Tupelo, Miss. native said.
The Thunderwolves (17-5) never trailed for a single second in the contest, taking the lead on Chume Nwigwe’s early three-pointer and quickly jumping out in front of the Gaels 16-5.
Queen’s went on an 8-0 run in the second and later closed the gap to four when Harry Range hit one of two at the free-throw line. But the Wolves then went on a 13-2 run and took a 57-41 lead into the half.
The first half also featured a record-setting performance by defensive wizard Lock Lam, who entered play just one blocked shot short of Yoosrie Salhia’s team record of 122.
It was never in doubt, he had five in the first half and finished with nine of the night to set a new standard of 130 – in 56 fewer games than Salhia.
The soft-spoken centre was rather nonchalant about the accomplishment.
“It’s just me. That’s what I live to do, to block shots,” he said.
Coach Ryan Thomson, who played with Salhia, was a little more vocal about the record.
“That’s a credit to Lock and his incredible timing. I’ve said it before, but his high school coach praised him for his instincts and timing with his blocked shots and said he was the best shot blocker he’d ever seen,” Thomson said.
“And at this level, certainly he’s the best shot blocker I’ve ever seen or been around.”
Traylor only needed 29 minutes of court time to collect his 40 points.
“He did have a ridiculous night and that’s incredibly efficient too – 23 shots to get 40. It was something to watch. It was impressive,” Thomson said.
Alston Harris finished with 17 off the bench and Matthew Edwards, a third-year guard from Whitby, Ont., collected a dozen points to lead the non-Traylor scoring parade.
Rookie Cole Syllas led the Gaels (14-8) with 21 points.
The Wolves will host an OUA quarterfinal match at home next Saturday against the winner of the opening round series between Queen’s and Laurier.
