THUNDER BAY – The Ryan Thomson era did not begin as planned on Friday night.
Named interim coach of the Lakehead Thunderwolves men’s basketball team after the university parted ways with former bench boss Manny Furtado, Thomson had just four days to attempt to put together a game plan to guide his new squad to its first victory of the season.
It’s still a work in progress.
The Wolves dug a deep hole over three quarters, battled back to cut the Guelph Gryphons lead to single digits in the fourth, but could not complete the improbable comeback in the final frame, falling 96-85 in Thomson’s debut.
“Maybe it didn’t show tonight, giving up 96 points, but I think we have a lot of potential to be a good defensive team. All week the guys were buying in and working hard. All our breakdown drills of what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to preach,” said Thomson, who earlier in the day named Matt Erdman, Evan Woodland and former teammate Jamie Searle as assistants with the 0-11 Thunderwolves.
“Offensively I thought we got some good looks, in the first half especially some just didn’t fall. In the second half it was the same story. We cut out some of our bad ones in the second half. I’ve been really impressed with the guys.”
Thomson, who starred on the court with the Wolves during their run to four straight Final 8 appearances under Scott Morrison between 2009 and 2013, spent two seasons mentoring under his former coach in the NBA D-League with the Maine Red Claws.
His most recent coaching gig was as an assistant with the National Basketball League’s Saint John Riptide.
He said it will take time for the players to adjust to his way of thinking.
“We’ve had four practices and I’ve put in a lot of stuff. It’s a little different and it’s just been a really good response from them,” Thomson said.
The fourth was just what he wanted to see, the Wolves outscoring the Gryphons (3-8) 27-20.
“I told the guys after the game, we won the second half. I mean you don’t want to be talking about winning one half, you want to be talking about winning the whole game, but for what it’s worth I thought that was a stepping stone for us,” he said.
“In the second half we battled, we rebounded a little bit better and we took some better shots and it showed.”
Lakehead was led by veteran guards Mor Menashe and Nick Burke, who finished with 21 and 20 points respectively.
Though thankful for four years under Furtado, Menashe said the team excited for the chance to work with Thomson.
“Obviously it’s not quite where we want our offence and defence to be, but for four days I think we did a pretty good job,” the Israeli import said.
Burke said it was a lesson they can take into Saturday’s rematch.
“We gave up too many points at the end of the third quarter, so we dug ourselves too big a hole going into the fourth,” Burke said.
“We made a good push at the end, but we just couldn’t overcome it.”
Guelph led 53-35 at the half and pushed their advantage to 20 after three. Guard Taylor Boers topped the Gryphons with 21 points.
