HUSKIES WEEKLY PREVIEW

VOLLEYBALL

The women’s volleyball team is coming off an amazing five-set win over the Georgian Grizzlies to improve their record to 2-2. The tough matches continue this week when they host the Seneca Sting (2-1) on Thursday night, followed by a road trip to the undefeated Durham Lords (3-0) on Saturday afternoon. Both teams have only dropped a combined five sets in six matches. 

The Huskies are in a fight for the fourth spot in the East Division to host a first-round playoff match. With only four matches left in the season, this week can make or break those chances. This squad contains a balanced attack in their starting lineup, with veterans Ashley Lau, Megi Memcaj and Angelique Agustin taking over matches in the past. The Huskies are at their best when all three of them are making an impact offensively. 

The men’s volleyball team looks to bounce back from a two-loss weekend. However, with their record at 2-2, they can still move up the standings with matches against the Seneca Sting (2-1) and Durham Lords (3-1).

In December, the Huskies and the Sting faced off in exhibition action. Coming down to the wire, Seneca won it in a five-sets , with George Brown dropping the final set 15-13. This young team has four players, Nathanael Masson, Amiel Dela Rosa, Arsam Talebi and Samuel Delgado, averaging over 2.2 points per set. Once they all get going simultaneously, they will be a force and will keep their opponents on their toes. 

Players to Watch

Megi Memcaj (women’s volleyball): The second-year outside hitter put together a historic performance in the Huskies five-set victory over the Georgian Grizzlies. She finished with a career-high 23 points off of 17 kills, four blocks and two service aces she also posted a career-high 15 digs in the victory. Her kill percentage was at an unbelievable rate of .467% posting17 kills on just 30 total attacks in the match.

This was one of the best performances in Huskies women’s volleyball history. Memcaj became just the second Huskies women’s volleyball player to record over 20 points in a match in the last six seasons. Kristan Luong was the other player when she registered 24 points in a five-set victory over Fleming College on February 13th, 2018.

Nathanael Masson (men’s volleyball): In his first two matches of the 2022 season, the fourth-year outside hitter was the team's best offensive threat for the Huskies last weekend. He tallied a total of 13 points off of 12 kills and a block while also putting up 11 digs. 

In the exhibition match against Seneca, he posted a team-high 13 points off of 10 kills, two aces and a block. 

BASKETBALL 

The women’s basketball team heads into the week with a 2-2 record. They’re looking to bounce back from losses to the CCAA No. 4 Humber Hawks and the Centennial Colts.

The women will host two games in less than 24 hours. Starting on Friday night against the Durham Lords (1-3), followed up with the Algonquin Wolves (3-1) on Saturday afternoon, these critical games are part of the Huskies fight to host a first-round playoff game. The top four teams in the East Division will host the first-round, and George Brown is currently holding that fourth spot with three team’s only a game back of them.

The Huskies offence has an excellent opportunity to get back on track on Friday. The Lords have allowed the second-most points per game in the OCAA at 71.5. 

The CCAA No. 12 men’s basketball team is coming off a three-win week, one of which came against the then-undefeated Georgian Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon. They have a lighter week with only one game on Saturday afternoon versus the Algonquin Wolves (3-1).

Under head coach Jason Dawkins, one of the staples for his team has been defence. They were ranked near the top in almost every defensive category during their 2020 championship run, and this year has been no different. The Huskies rank second in points allowed per game with 73 and opponents’ field goal percentage at 37.9%. The Huskies will attempt to continue this trend against the top offensive team in the East Division. The Wolves lead the OCAA shooting 55.5% from the field and first in the division, posting 86.5 points per game.

Players to Watch

Teshayn Gayle (men’s basketball): In his first collegiate games since February 2019, the fifth-year guard did not show any rust. Over three games last week, the fifth-year guard recorded a total of 60 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and six steals. With his efforts and strong team play, the Huskies won all three games to improve their record to 3-2 on the season. However, his best performance came against the Georgian Grizzlies. With Huskies going into the fourth quarter down six points, he dropped 15 of his game-high 27 points in the frame, including eight of the team’s last nine points to claim the 89-85 victory. 

Mariam Konate (women’s basketball): The second-year guard was the team’s most consistent scorer last week. Her best game came on Friday night against the Centennial Colts when she went 6-of-13 from the field for a team-high 14 points while adding a game-high four steals, four rebounds and an assist in the loss.

ESPORTS

The Esports team (3-0-2) to bounce back after a loss with only two games left in the season. This week's matchup could make or break their season since they're battling Pittsburgh Panthers (3-0-2). Both teams hold the same record, and with the number of teams fighting for the playoffs, this could pole vault the squad in a fantastic spot. Around 32 teams make the playoffs, and George Brown is currently ranked 38, but 27 teams have the same record from 18th to 44th.

Yeongin Kim has been simply spectacular during this three-game winning streak for the Huskies. In the team's 2-0 victory over the University of New Hampshire two weeks ago, he had two quadras, including a situation where he killed four champions by himself. He's currently ranked 148 in North America and top 500 in the world.