LONDON, Ont - A 25-point performance by the injured Marko Kovac helped the Western Mustangs earn a tough fought 90-75 win over the Algoma Thunderbirds Saturday night at Alumni Hall.
Despite having his fingers taped up and practically playing with 1 hand at times, Kovac still managed to score a game-high 25 points. Omar Shiddo remained an active offensive presence with his 19 points. Julian Walker also had an impressive night, recording 14 points alongside 12 rebounds to lead both teams.
"It felt good to hit some shots finally," stated Kovac on his offensive showing. "The offence was running kind of slow, and when you've got the adrenaline going from the game, nothing [the injury] matters anymore. It feels good, all the hard work I put in over the summer. Getting injured against Queens wasn't in the plans, but I was able to persevere through and have great teammates to pick me up each day in practice."
Peter Wetuvanga led the offensive efforts for the Thunderbirds, scoring 18 points for his team. Teammate Nathan Riley also had a proficient evening, putting up 16 points alongside 9 rebounds in a well-rounded effort.
Western, rolling off their win against Brock, came out with a confident style of play to initiate an immediate 7-0 run. Becoming the theme of the quarter, the Mustangs kept up a consistent scoring effort to keep themselves ahead. Shooting only 30% from the field, the Thunderbirds struggled to get it going despite forcing several turnovers, with Western closing out the quarter with a 20-10 lead.
Unfortunately Western began to fall flat in the second, giving up a 2-12 run as Algoma tied the game. Much of this was due to a relentless effort on the glass by the oppositions, offensive rebounds helping spur second-chance opportunities. However, the purple and white were able to compose themselves and turn around the latter half of the frame. Cutting down on turnovers helped create a more organized offense, and a buzzer beater by Jenkins helped seal the first half to keep the Mustangs out in front at 39-32.
Devolving into a more scrappy style of play, Western began looking inside to make the most of their chances. Kovac served to be the focal point, as his aggressive attacks in the paint helped him record 11 points in the quarter. Beside being undersized, Western's speed allowed them to get past defenders and beat them on the first step; opening up the floor for some easy layups. Combined with better efforts on the offensive board, the Mustang's tenacity put them ahead 64-56 as they went into the final 10 minutes of play.
As the Thunderbirds attempted to claw themselves into the game, the Mustangs showed great composure and stopped any attempts at a comeback. Holding Algoma to a subpar 33% from the field, their defence was key, and served to be the dividing factor late in the 90-75 victory.
"Calling that time out at the 4 minute mark let us get our act together. The guys knew it was crunch time, and it was probably our best 4 minute period to close out the game on a big run - a lot of it being defence" commented head coach Brad Campbell on the last quarter of play. "Great close to the came, but we shouldn't have put ourselves in the scenario to begin with. For us, the next step is having a larger lead going into those final four minutes and closing just as well."
The win improves the Mustangs record to 9-4 on the year as they hold the top spot in the OUA West on the back of a 4-game win streak. The Thunderbirds remain locked in 6th as their record updates to 4-9 on the season.
The Mustangs will be back in action this Saturday, January 12, where they will complete their weekend series against Algoma. The game is scheduled to tip off at 8:00 P.M. EST and fans can catch the action live on OUA.tv.
