SAULT STE MARIE, Ont – A 30-point offensive outburst in the third quarter helped the Western Mustangs win their second consecutive game against the Algoma Thunderbirds, taking an 87-56 victory on Saturday evening at the Sault College Athletics Centre.
 
The Mustangs improve their record to 4-2 tying them with the Windsor Lancers for first place in the OUA West Division with eight points each, although the Lancers have a game in hand. The Thunderbirds remain fifth in the standings with their record moving to 0-5.
 
Greg Morrow and Quinn Henderson combined for 50 of Western's 87 points on the night, scoring 28 and 22 points respectively. While they each had similar point totals, the two Mustangs used different approaches to get there with Henderson scoring 12 points on three-pointers while 10 of Morrow's came from the free throw line.
 
The first half of the game started with all eyes going back on forth on the court while the teams picked up their pace early to start up their offensive chances. The Mustangs grabbed the lead early with the Thunderbirds quickly following making sure they were always within one possession on the board. Mustang Elliott Dooley continued to connect on the perimeter for a second consecutive game making outside shots to maintain the lead, helping Western take an 18-16 advantage into the second quarter.
 
The fast pace from the first frame carried over into the second as the Mustangs continued to press the Thunderbirds until the last seconds of the shot clock. Dooley's versatile play continued with an assist to a wide open Henderson beyond the arc and sinks it to help give the Mustangs a larger lead of eight near the end of the quarter. The half ended at 36-28 in favour of the purple and white.
 
While the first two quarters were largely back-and-forth affairs, the third quarter was a different story with play being in the Mustangs favour for the majority of the frame. Tom Filgiano made an impression on the court by making a steal late in the third for a break to the other side of the court to sink the layup and continue to show the Thunderbirds the strength of his defence. The Mustang play did not back down in the half as they capitalized on rebounds and forced fouls deep in the key. Western's strong play resulted in 30 points on the scoreboard in the quarter, giving the Mustangs a 67-37 lead heading into the game's final 10 minutes.
 
Head coach Brad Campbell emptied the bench for the last couple minutes in the final quarter for the rookies to show the Thunderbirds what they are capable of. Among the highlights was Alex Abuzgaya making a fast break from a steal to Alex Coote who found Mike Simonetta on a run to sink the basket and add to the Mustang score. The buzzer ended the Mustang lead of 31 points with a score of 87-56.
 
The Mustangs return home with hopes to continue their winning streak on Wednesday, November 26 to play the McMaster Marauders at Alumni Hall. Tip-off is at 8 p.m. and fans can watch live on OUA.tv.