The Laurier Brantford extramural basketball team travelled to University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus last Friday to participate in one of the last tournaments of the season.

They started off the tournament by dominating the U of T Scarborough Racoons before getting caught late in the game and losing by a close score of 41-39. Next, they played the U of T Maroons.  The boys put in a good effort and won the game 48-43. The next and final game held some importance, as the Golden Hawks faced off against their rivals, Centennial.

“It’s a really good rivalry. They always push us to play harder and go for the win,” said Captain Matt Wright.

The Hawks came out and played an excellent game, edging out Centennial 39-38. However, as Wright points out, the score doesn’t show the  game as a whole.

“The score doesn’t tell the whole story. At one point, we were up by 12 points. They hit a couple of late three pointers to catch up, but we were able to hold them off for the win,” said Wright.

Wright was extremely happy with the results of the tournament and the effort his teammates gave.

“I was really happy with the compete level everyone showed. The wins were, without a doubt, a total team effort. Everyone clicked and flowed and the game reflected that,” said Wright.

I was the first time, in Wright’s opinion, that all the players clicked in a game.

“Everyone played exceptionally well. I really felt like we all trusted each other.  It was the best game I’ve played with the team so far,” said Wright.

There are a few more tournaments on the horizon for the Golden Hawks squad to play in.  They also are waiting to see if they have qualified for the Challenge Cup.

One thing the team would like to get more of is fan support from students on campus. “Everyone should come out and support us. We love having the school vibe and spirit behind us to drive us to victory. It really means a lot when we can see and hear our own fans cheering us on,” said Wright.

Wright also mentioned an interesting idea for students who want to go and see one of the games in person.

“We want the fans to be there and cheer us on. We can arrange something where the students come on the bus and travel with the team to the games,” said Wright.

This is a great idea to motivate fan participation and enhance team spirit. When teams ask for support, we the students should be ready and willing to cheer on their efforts.