Gee-Gees no match for Badgers
John Matisz
Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: Sports
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The Brock Badgers men's basketball team opened their 2009-2010 campaign on the right foot by defeating the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 72-70.
In the game's first quarter, sophomore guard Joel Whitty collected seven of his 13 points en route to an early 19-16 Badger advantage. The typical nervousness that accompanies a first regular season game was evident in the opening quarter as both teams failed to make easy shots in the paint and were called on numerous travelling violations.
Ken Murray, who is entering his 19th year as head coach of the Badgers, expected the beginning of the contest to be rocky.
"We started three second-year players and two first-years - it's going to happen. Everything is now on the line because it's no longer pre-season," said Murray. "Both teams were really uptight and tense, and respected each other […] With conference games like this you're not going to see a picture of beauty by any stretch. It's a lot about what team outworks the other."
By the middle of the second quarter Brock had settled the game down by gathering up every defensive rebound they could. This enabled them to dictate the play and put the pressure on Ottawa.
It also helped that freshman Clinton Springer-Williams, the Badgers leading scorer in pre-season play, found his shooting groove as he netted 10 of his 12 first half points in the second.
The London, Ontario native finished with a final stat line of 22 points, five rebounds and two steals. Springer-Williams and teammate Whitty combined for seven three-pointers on 11 tries in the win.
"I just go out there and play. I know what the team expects of me, what the coaches expect from me, so I'm just trying to live up to my expectations and I really want to succeed here," said Springer-Williams. "I just don't want to let anyone down."
Going into halftime the Badgers had a small five-point cushion as the scoreboard in the Bob Davis Gymnasium read 35-30.
The trend of miniature leads continued throughout the second half of the contest.
Each time Brock pressed to extend their lead, Ottawa would find a way to claw back to within five points.
A three-pointer to tie it at 45 looked to be Ottawa's big break, but a jumper from Springer-Williams just seconds later put Brock back on top and, more importantly, stole Ottawa's increasing momentum.
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