Western ends regular season with a 71-82 loss to Waterloo

WATERLOO, Ont - In the Mustangs' final OUA regular season game, the Waterloo Warriors took a 10 point lead going into the final frame that would eventually mark them victorious over the Mustangs with a final score of 82-71 at the PAC Gym on Saturday afternoon.

The loss puts the Mustangs record to 13-8 for the regular season going into playoffs. They end the season in second place of the OUA West Division standings behind the Windsor Lancers. The Waterloo Warriors end their basketball season placing in fourth place with a record of 6-14 in the same standings.

Greg Morrow topped the purple and white scoresheet with 15 points, with teammates Jedson Tavernier and Anthony Spiridis following right behind with 14 a piece. Despite being heavily defended, Morrow was able to lead his defence with 10 rebounds with Cameron Morris helping the squad with three blocks. Waterloo Warrior Myles Charvis lead his team with the game-high 30 points with teammate Jaspreet Gill following with 21 points for the team.

The Mustangs were able to get ahead of the race early on by showing on the scoreboard first to start their lead. After a brief moment of trailing behind the Warriors, a basket by Morrow put the purple and white in the lead for the rest of the frame. A strong performance by Tavernier gave seven points on the board including a three-point shot late in the frame to double the opponents score. The Mustangs went on to take the first frame with a score of 18-10.

Able to extend their lead to 10 at the eight minute mark, the Warriors adrenaline kicked in and their offence started to kick it up a notch. With help from Warrior Charvis, who connected 14 points in the second quarter alone, the home team was able to catch up and tie the Mustangs at 28 with less than three minutes left in the frame. The Warriors seized their opportunity to gain the lead by sinking a couple baskets along with increasing their pressure on the Mustangs to get ahead in the final minute and take the lead going into the second half of the game with a score of 38-33.

The Warriors continued to fight hard in the second frame as they started on a 7-0 run before the Mustangs could add another point to their score. Adding pressure to the Mustangs with grabbing defensive rebounds and triple teaming Morrow, the Mustangs key player, the Warriors maintained their lead through the whole frame. Jon Ravenhorst was the Mustangs biggest threat as he sunk seven points for the Warriors in the frame. The Warriors continued to lead the Mustangs going into the fourth frame with a score of 59-49.

The Warriors refused to open up the opportunity for the Mustangs to regain their lead in the fourth frame. Making their highest lead of 16 at the three minutes into the game, the Mustangs couldn't seem to make the plays they needed without the Warriors intervening. Continuing to find success around the arc, the Warriors walked away with the victory with a final score of 82-71.

Despite the loss, the Mustangs secure a spot in the postseason as they finish in the top three of the West division. Regardless of division poisition, the post-season match-ups will be determined based on the RPI (Rating Percentage Index) of the 12 qualifying teams to determine the playoff bracket. The Mustangs start their playoff run at home with their opponents to be announced as the OUA Preliminary Rounds get on their way on Wednesday, February 25. The match-up will be streamed live on OUA.tv.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Cameron Morris: F; 6' 5"; 2nd; 2

#12 Greg Morrow: F; 6' 3"; 4th; 4

#22 Anthony Spiridis: F; 6' 5"; 3rd; 4

#7 Jedson Tavernier: G; 6' 2"; 1st; 1

Players Mentioned

#11 Cameron Morris
: 6' 5"; 2nd; 2
: F

#12 Greg Morrow
: 6' 3"; 4th; 4
: F

#22 Anthony Spiridis
: 6' 5"; 3rd; 4
: F

#7 Jedson Tavernier
: 6' 2"; 1st; 1
: G