THUNDER BAY – Since the start of 2024, the Lakehead Thunderwolves have been one of the hottest teams in the OUA.
The men’s squad has won seven of eight games played this year, the lone loss a double-overtime defeat at the hands of the No. 5 Laurier Golden Hawks, and turned a lost season into a remarkable comeback story, one whose ending is very much up in the air.
The T-Wolves, playoff afterthoughts in late November, have used their recent hot spell to all but assure themselves of a spot in the postseason, sitting at 9-9, good for 10th overall.
The top 12 teams make the playoffs, and of those on the outside looking in, only the 6-12 Waterloo Warriors can dump Lakehead for advancing, but would need to win all four remaining games and hope the Thunderwolves go winless down the stretch.
It’s a pretty good spot to be in, but guard Nathan Bilamu, the team’s player of the month for January, said they’re not content to rest on their laurels just yet.
“It’s a real opportunity this weekend to secure our spot in the playoffs and secure home-court advantage when the playoffs start,” said the third-year Bilamu, just outside the OUA top 20 at 14.9 points per game and 11th in assists, with 61 in 18 games.
“Queen’s is a very good team. Ontario Tech is a very good team, but I feel that we have the team spirit and the chemistry to really battle with them and come out with two Ws.”
Queen’s, Friday night’s opponent at the Thunderdome, narrowly missed the No. 2 spot in the country last week and sit at 16-3, while No. 9 Ontario Tech is just a game behind at 15-4.
Bilamu said team spirit is behind the Thunderwolves charge.
“We’re really bonding right now, on and off the court. Everything is just going right. Practices are competitive. We play as a team every practice. Every player is moving the ball, defensively and offensively. It’s just sparking right now.”
Coach Ryan Thomson said it’s about winning all the little battles, one possession at a time. He doesn’t want his team looking beyond the Gaels - they’ll deal with Ontario Tech on Saturday.
“If we do that enough, we’ll probably win the game. We can’t really worry too much about Saturday’s game before we’re done with Friday's,” Thomson said.
“Friday, Queen’s is a great team. They’re really well coached. They play hard, they play physical. For us it’s just being a disciplined team and staying together for 40 minutes.”
The Gaels are led offensively by guard Luka Syllas, who averages 16.6 points a night with 5.6 rebounds, and has dished out 90 assists, fifth in the OUA. They’re also effective on the glass, with three players in the top 26 in rebounds per game.
Ontario Tech is led by guard Zubair Seyed and his 15.6 points-per-game average.
Bilamu said the counter is getting everybody to chip in and not just rely on one or two players to carry the load.
“We’re very unselfish and our offence dictates that. We’re the leading team in assists this year in the whole OUA. That says something about our offence and that we’re unselfish - and on any given night any of us can perform and win us the game,” he said.
Tip off on Friday and Saturday night is 8 p.m. The women’s games are slated to start at 6 p.m.
Court shots: Paula Lopez was named the women’s basketball player of the month for January, coming off a 22-point effort against Brock.
