HAMILTON – Nathan Bilamu has helped carry the Lakehead Thunderwolves to the OUA men’s basketball playoffs.
He was at it again on Friday night, scoring 31 points to lead all scorers. But it was three buckets that made biggest difference.
Bilamu nailed a three-pointer with 23 seconds to go in regulation to bring the T-Wolves into a 79-79 tie, then after McMaster’s Mike Demagus gave McMaster the lead back with six seconds to play, Bilamu made a layup with one second left to send the contest to overtime.
LU jumped in front by five in the extra period, but Demagus tied the game with 1:31 to go, only to have Bilamu hit from beyond the arcto put Lakehead in front 89-86 with under a minute to go.
Tyler Garcia cut the LU lead to one with two ticks left on the clock, but didn’t draw the foul.
LU’s Jared Kreiner, playing in his second-to-last OUA regular season game, hit a last-second free-throw that earned the Thunderwolves a 90-88 triumph.
Lakehead had already clinched a playoff spot after Waterloo fell 82-75 to Western on Wednesday night, and can jump up as high as ninth place with a win and some help on Saturday night.
Demagus had 27 to lead McMaster, while Garcia put up 22.
Lakehead (10-11) owns tiebreakers with Brock (10-11) and York (11-10), and would catch McMaster with a win on Saturday in their rematch.
Tip-off on Saturday is 8 p.m.
