THUNDER BAY – With about four minutes to go on Friday night, the Lakehead Thunderwolves were up nine points and looked to be well on their way to a second-straight OUA men’s basketball triumph.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have an answer for York’s Evan Shadkami.
The Lions guard got red-hot down the stretch, hitting three key three-pointers during York’s 11-2 run, including back-to-back treys that ultimately sent the game to overtime, then hit one more that proved to be the difference as York stunned a full house at the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse with an 87-85 win that went down to the wire.
(Shadkami) had quite the night,” said Lakehead coach Ryan Thomson, whose team was torched for 37 points by the York star, 27 of which came on nine made three-pointers.
“I think for us it was just the quality of the shot we were taking down the stretch. We forced the issue a little bit. We went early in the clock. He hit a tough one late to tie it up, but it’s on us to take away those early looks that got him going.”
It was a battle from start to finish, the lead changing seven times in the first quarter alone, Nathan Bilamu scoring nine of his 19 points on the night in the opening period as LU found themselves down three after the first 10 minutes of play.
The Lions hit their stride in the early goings to the second, Tyler Price, Dante Forchione and Joshua Noton hitting three straight buckets to take a 24-16 lead.
All it took was a thundering Bilamu block on Forchione, going in for what he thought was an easy lay-up attempt, to turn things around.
Bilamu hit a buck to close the gap to 24-18, and Flynn Gilmour and Chris Sagl, who led all Thunderwolves with 22 points, each hit from distance, tying the game at 24.
The Lions would have to settle for a 40-38 advantage at the half and managed to hold the lead until late in the third, when Bilamu tied it up with a pair of free throws, both teams missing eight from the charity stripe on the night.
The two teams were tied 57 apiece heading into the fourth.
Tyler Sagl hit a three to open the final frame, and another at the three-minute mark to stretch the LU lead to 69-64, but the T-Wolves couldn’t hold on and the game went to overtime.
Alexis Kaylonga hit back-to-back buckets to open the fourth, giving York a four-point edge. Chris Sagl made a nice steal and broke for the Lions net, only to miss a lay up and a chance to tie the game, after he’d cut the gap to two.
That’s when Shadkami dropped what appeared to be the dagger, burying his final three of the night to stretch the Lions lead to 86-81.
Not so fast.
Bilamu buried a pair of free throws and then Chris Sagl managed to interrupt the inbounds pass, the ball deflecting off a York player and possession ordered to Lakehead.
Tyler Sagl, who finished with 20 points, was fouled taking a wild three, then hit the first free throw and missed the second, dashing the comeback bid in its tracks.
Lakehead (1-2) and York (2-1) meet again on Saturday night. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m.
