Friday January 24th @ Seneca
The Wolves hit the road this weekend for a couple of big matchups that would have large implications on the standings as the regular season winds down. They would kick things off with a Friday night tilt with the Seneca Sting (9-4) who were one spot ahead of them in the standings going into the night. These two teams met back in November when Seneca came away with a 79-68 win.
The 1st half was neck and neck with the score tied at 16 after the 1st quarter and the Wolves holding a slim 32-31 lead going into halftime. Unfortunately the Wolves went cold in the 2nd half shooting just 33% from the field. The Sting took advantage and gained some distance, eventually coming away with a 72-60 win.
Tesloch Luk led the way offensively for the Wolves finishing with a 19 point, 10 board double double. Albert Opena had one of his best offensive games with 16 points and 4 boards. Jansen Balmaceda had 11 points. Simon Desta was the last Wolves player in double figures with 10. The loss dropped their record to 9-5 going into a big game against Georgian (12-2) on Saturday.
Saturday January 25th @ Georgian
On Saturday the Wolves were hoping to bounce back in Barrie against the Georgian Grizzlies. In their first matchup of the season, the Grizzlies escaped the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre with a 80-78 win after a last second 3 by Tesloch Luk rimmed out.
The Wolves came out of the gate sluggish shooting just over 29% in the 1st quarter and turning the ball over 7 times to dig themselves a 10 point hole. They found their footing towards the end of the half and were able to close the gap to 5 going into the locker room. The 3rd quarter was back and forth. Georgian held a narrow 1 point lead going into the final frame. Unfortunately for Algonquin, the Grizzlies had their best offensive quarter to close it out shooting over 56% from the field and 50% from 3 to come away with a 86-78 win. Georgian improved their record to 13-2 while the Wolves dropped to 9-6.
Despite the losses this weekend, 2nd year guard Albert Opena was a bright spot for the Wolves. He followed up his 16 point performance against Seneca with 21 points and 6 rebounds. Ted Braden had an efficient 15 points and 8 boards. Jansen Balmaceda and Simon Desta had 13 each. Tesloch Luk was the last Wolf in double figures with 10.
Next up for Algonquin is a date with the George Brown Huskies on Friday January 31st at the ARC. Join us as we celebrate our graduating seniors who will be playing their final regular season home game in an Algonquin uniform. Tip-off is set for 8:00 pm.