THUNDER BAY – After the opening weekend of the season, the Lakehead Thunderwolves men’s basketball team was ranked 11th nationally.
They played like it on Friday night, giving the No. 10 Western Mustangs everything they had.
Unfortunately for the Thunderwolves, the visiting Mustangs and just a little more, in the form of fifth-year guard Omar Shiddo.
The Ottawa native poured in 37 points and hauled in seven rebounds, leading Western to a hard-fought, come-from-behind 88-85 win over the Thunderwolves (2-5) in the penultimate game of the opening half of the Ontario University Athletics season.
Shiddo, whose clutch shooting once led Basketball Buzz to compare him Portland Trail Blazer star Damian Lillard, put up 12 of his 37 in the fourth quarter, hit a rare four-point play early in the quarter to make it 73-71 Mustangs, the first of six lead changes in the decisive final frame.
He was also good on 16 of 18 free-throw attempts, the rest of the Western roster hitting just eight of 17 from the charity stripe.
“We can’t put their best player on the free-throw line 18 times,” said Lakehead coach Ryan Thomson.
“Shiddo’s a really good player, but if we’re giving up 37 to him we’re going to be in really big trouble, regardless of who we’re playing.”
Lakehead just didn’t have an answer at the other end of the court.
Michael Okafor, an NCAA transfer, put up 15 to lead Lakehead, who trailed 25-18 after one and 47-41 at the half.
Chume Nwigwe and Alston Harris added a dozen points apiece, Harris giving Lakehead its second lead of the fourth with a three-pointer, upping the Lakehead’s lead to a game-high six points after Nwigwe drained a three-pointer to up LU’s advantage to four.
“In broken plays and scrambles, it seemed like the ball always found (Shiddo). He got loose in the second half and credit it to him. He does a really good job at drawing fouls and creating contact to get to the line,” Thomson said.
“We just have to exaggerate showing our hands and being in the gaps to make him get off the ball.”
Thomson said he thought the Thunderwolves moved the ball well, which is when his team is at its best.
“Luckily we took care of the ball in the second half. We had 11 turnovers at halftime. That’s a positive, but those are kind of the intangibles that we’re talking about every week in practice – controlling the glass, value possessions, whether that’s not turning the ball over or just getting the best shot we can,” Thomson said.
Lakehead trailed by as many as seven in the third quarter, but homegrown Jared Kreiner helped keep the Thunderwolves in contention, burying a three that gave them the lead with less than four minutes to go in the period, and another that tied the score 61-61. Western led 66-65 after 30 minutes.
Tyson Dunn had a double-double for Western, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Okafor had 14 rebounds for Lakehead, along with six assists.
The two teams will play again on Saturday night. Tip-off is 8 p.m.
