George Brown set the tone early on Saturday's Super Game Day, coming out of the first quarter holding a comfortable 25-10 lead. The Huskies were aggressive to open the game, forcing four turnovers and getting to the free throw line 14 times in the frame. The Lords would regroup however, and chip away at the deficit as the game wore on.
"We executed our game plan very well early on, forcing Durham into tough possessions and playing a terrific team brand of ball.", said Head Coach Warren Williams of his team's hot start. "But Durham made some great adjustments and we really had to dig in to maintain composure despite adversity down the stretch".
Durham out-rebounded George Brown 13-5 in the second quarter, helping close the gap to 38-31 at half time. That momentum would continue into the third, led by Emily Glendinning who net 10 points in the quarter for the visiting Lords. Tied at 54-54 going into the final frame, the Huskies would not back down on home court.
With George Brown's starters Zae Sellers, Ciara Findlayter-Stephenson and Rachel Steer plagued by foul trouble for most of the game, the Huskies bench came through in a big way. Sara Taylor, Samuelle Hakh and Kayana Granger playing meaningful minutes down the stretch, combining for 20 points and six rebounds.
"Sara, Sammie, and Kiki demonstrated excellent poise helping us come back and our starters did a great job closing the game out. Coco's effort on the glass including a key offensive rebound and put back in the last moments of the game was critical.", commented Williams.
And close out the game, those starters did. Fifth-year veteran Zae Sellers was clutch from the free throw line, going 6-6 including a three-point play to cap a late Huskies surge. Second-year transfer Victoria Lawrence added her own "and one" to energize the crowd, while the rest of the players on the floor combined for an additional perfect 13-13 from the charity stripe. Fourth-year forward Coco Sauve came up with a huge offensive rebound and put-back in the closing minutes, and would finish the game with her first double-double of the season (14 PTS, 11 REB). The Huskies would outscore Durham by 11 in the final quarter to take the game by a final score of 82-71 and improving their record to 3-1 on the season.
Next up, George Brown will prepare for a road trip to Barrie on Wednesday November 13th where they will face the Georgian Grizzlies (0-5). Tip-off is scheduled for 6pm. Watch all the action on OCAA Live by visiting our LiveStream Page!