THUNDER BAY -- Manny Furtado is hoping the preseason will serve as a learning experience.
After all, it’s better to take a pair of losses when they don’t count in the standings.
The Thunderwolves were swept by the Winnipeg Wesmen in their non-conference men’s basketball series, falling 80-70 at the Thunderdome Saturday afternoon.
Lakehead fell 90-89 against Winnipeg Friday night.
“It’s preseason. It’s an opportunity for us to see what we need to improve on for the regular season, which is about a month away,” the Thunderwolves head coach said after Saturday’s game.
“As coaches we’ll sit down and watch the film and see what we need to improve on.”
If this one was any indication, there’s quite a bit.
After going 3-3 from beyond the arc in the first quarter, the Thunderwolves perimeter shooters went ice cold over the next 30 minutes. Lakehead went 0-10 for three the rest of the way as the team could not buy a long range shot.
“We need to shoot the ball a lot better. We’re struggling right now from the three-point line,” Furtado said.
“Our shooting from the three-point line is not helping us.”
Lakehead also turned the ball over 23 times, a number that Furtado said is simply unacceptable.
Forward Bacarius Dinkins led Lakehead offensively, finishing with 21 points and six rebounds. Veteran guards Alex Robichaud and Dwayne Harvey both recorded a double-double, as Robichaud finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Harvey ended up with 12 points and 11 boards.
Winnipeg forwards Mark McNee and Jelane Pryce owned the paint on offence, finish with 19 and 18 points respectively to lead their squad.
The Thunderwolves opened the first quarter strong, taking a five point lead before Winnipeg stormed back on a 10-3 run to lead 23-20.
The two teams played fairly even basketball in the second quarter as Winnipeg went into the halftime break nursing a 38-36 edge.
The Wesmen took a commanding lead early in the third, rushing out to a 12-4 run to take their first double digit lead of the contest.
“Basketball is always a game of run. On two occasions we had a lead but these guys answered with a run of their own,” Furtado said.
“Those guys answered the runs when they had to and we didn’t make enough runs offensively.”
The Thunderwolves did not help their cause in the third as their inside offence dried up nearly as much as it did from outside. Lakehead only managed to shoot 16 per cent from the field in the frame, with Dinkins going 1-5 in the paint.
Winnipeg outscored the home side 24-12 in the third quarter.
Lakehead tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter but each burst of momentum was met with an answer by the Wesmen.
Dinkins had a chance to get the Thunderwolves to within single digits but he missed a pair of free throws and Winnipeg responded with a pair of easy baskets down low to put the contest away.
The preseason series presented Furtado, the first-year coach, with the opportunity to see what he has on a roster composed of multiple new players.
Two first-year guards, Ryan Doornick and Addy Ogunye, combined to play eight fourth quarter minutes as Furtado threw them into the fire.
He now has a good idea of what his core pieces will look like when the regular season gets underway.
“We’ve got our starting five pretty well set,” he said, listing Dinkins, Harvey, Robichaud and senior forward Anthony McIntosh as expected starters. “I think that extra guard position is the one guys realize they’re fighting for, whether it be Ashaunti Hogan or Henry Tan when they get back healthy.”
Claw marks: Lakehead dominated Winnipeg on the glass, winning the rebounding battle by a 43-22 margin…After shooting 48 per cent from the field in the first half, the Wolves only went 33 per cent in the second half…They also went 10-16 from the free throw line after going perfect in the first half, finishing the game at 68 per cent from the charity stripe...The Wolves continue their non-conference slate on the road with a trio of games in Alberta over the next two weeks.
