Page 46 – Algonquin Times

Six years later, is Algonquin College really smoke-free?

In January 2019, Algonquin College went "smoke-free," banning all smoking on campus. Has the college met its goal, or has the plan gone up in smoke?

Duncan Roi

Photos: Duncan Roi

January 29, 2025
Revised: January 29, 2025 11:51am

Photo: Duncan Roi

A no-smoking sign outside T-building.

Despite Algonquin College’s smoke-free initiative, it’s not hard to find people smoking and vaping on campus. There is a buildup of cigarette butts, vape pens, and other smoking products around much of the college grounds.

TV broadcasting student Alex Ramos believes that the initiative isn’t working well in its current form.

“I don’t think that they’re really enforcing it. I don’t see anybody really walking around and telling people to not vape or not smoke or anything like that,” Ramos said.

Ramos is not alone. Many students feel there is a grey area when it comes to smoking on campus. Although it is prohibited, some students wonder if the smoking rules are being enforced effectively by campus security.

The smoke-free policy began with a “soft launch” from Oct. 15, 2018, to Jan. 1, 2019. After this interim period, Algonquin made the policy permanent.

The change was partly driven by Ontario’s Bill 36, Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018, which legalized marijuana smoking where tobacco smoking is permitted.

According to the Algonquin College website, college security guards implement the smoke-free policy by issuing warnings to students who are repeatedly caught smoking on campus. Multiple infractions can result in disciplinary actions, such as fines.

Discarded cigarettes outside the entrance of B-building. Photo credit: Duncan Roi

Radio broadcasting student Alex Gonzales also expressed confusion over the smoking rules, saying he often sees students smoking around N-building, right next to “no smoking” signs.

In response to concerns over the smoke-free campus initiative, the Students’ Association previously proposed designated smoking areas on campus, alongside better disposal options.

These designated areas would aim to accommodate the needs of smoking students while balancing the rights of non-smoking students to avoid encountering smoke in high-traffic areas and entrances.

Based on feedback in 2019, many students preferred the campus having designated smoking areas, as opposed to a total campus-wide smoking ban.

“It would be much easier if they just put a designated area for the smokers,” Gonzales said, adding that the areas should be located not too far away from college buildings.

Pre-health student Evie Lim also expressed support for designated smoking areas. “Creating a smoking area will be a great help in preventing second-hand smoke. As well, it will be a great help to the cleanliness of the entire school,” Lim said.

The college stands firm on its decision to have a completely smoke-free campus, with no current plans to introduce designated smoking areas.

In a statement to the Algonquin Times, Algonquin College backed its current policy saying, “The college continues to support and promote safe and healthy smoke-free environments at all campuses for our learners and employees.”

While students consider the need for designated smoking areas, Health Services provides smoking cessation support, such as prescriptions and counselling. To learn more, students can call and book an appointment with a doctor or a nurse at, 613-727-4723, ext. 7222.

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Algonquin College Perth alumni, community members rally to ‘save’ campus

An online petition has collected thousands of signatures from those opposed to the college closing the campus

Ernest Ko

Photos: Ernest Ko

January 24, 2025
Revised: January 24, 2025 6:07pm

Photo: Ernest Ko

Algonquin College Perth campus' main entrance on a snowy January day.

Algonquin College Perth alumni and community members are signing an online petition titled “Save Algonquin College Perth Campus” in hopes the college will reverse its decision to close the campus in 2026.

The college recently announced plans to close its Perth campus, citing “unprecedented financial challenges.”

That decision was met with shock and frustration from many in Perth, alarmed by the economic and social repercussions it might bring.

The petition warns the closure would “result in lost jobs for faculty and support staff, and the loss of opportunity for local students to receive an education without removing themselves from the community.”

“Algonquin College Perth has also become a community hub,” the petition says. “It hosts continuing education courses for professionals and community members, as well as markets for local artists and craftspeople.”

In Perth, a town well known for its heritage buildings and carpentry traditions, the college’s heritage carpentry and joinery program holds a special and long-standing relationship with the nearby community.

Speaking to the Algonquin Times, petitioner Braeden Suggitt, a Perth heritage carpentry alumnus, described feeling shocked and heartbroken after hearing about the closure through an alumni group chat.

Braeden Suggitt smiles while standing beside a window frame of his own creation, part of a school assignment. — One of Suggitt's assignments while studying at Perth was to recreate a window frame from a historical building of his choice.

“With such a small campus, we knew there wasn’t a lot of money coming in,” said Suggitt. “But knowing the campus’ positive impacts — especially to the local community — it’s a little surprising. Like really, you’re choosing to do that?”

With the petition, “we wanted to show just how many people support this campus and the huge reach that this small town has,” Suggitt said.

One of those supporters is Willa Murray, another graduate of the heritage carpentry program. She now works as a carpenter and leather worker.

Murray praised Perth’s campus for its small size, which she said helped her foster close connections with professors and classmates. It was a unique learning environment that helped her hone her craft.

“There isn’t anything else like (the Perth campus),” Murray said.

Willa Murray smiles at the camera while on a ladder, working on a timber frame. — Willa Murray, a graduate from Perth's heritage carpenty and joinery program, working on a timber frame. Photo credit: Submitted by Willa Murray

Without it, she predicts that local landlords would lose their revenue, businesses would have fewer part-time staff and Perth’s senior demographic would receive less support.

“We would be missing a whole demographic,” said Murray.

Kelly Charlebois, a Perth resident and Algonquin College alumna from both Perth and Ottawa, also signed the petition.

“There’s nothing else between (Perth) and Kingston,” Charlebois said about Ontario’s rural post-secondary options. “Losing the college is not good for our local economy.”

She said the closure would force young adults to leave Perth to seek higher education and better paying jobs, opening a hole in the local workforce.

Once the Perth campus closes, the college said it plans to move its existing programs to the Ottawa campus.

A screenshot of the "Save Algonquin College Perth Campus" petition on change.org — Launched on Jan. 12, the "Save Algonquin College Perth Campus" petition had more than 2,000 signatures at the time of writing. Photo credit: Change.org

In an email to Suggitt, Algonquin College president and CEO Claude Brulé asserted the college is “dedicated to finding ways to maintain the core elements of these programs and their ties to heritage and craftsmanship” after the transfer.

Suggitt, however, is not convinced.

“It would lose some important aspects,” he said.

From log building to timber framing, the heritage carpentry program uses much of the Perth campus pavilion. Suggitt says there is not enough space at Ottawa’s ACCE-building, especially with pre-existing carpentry classes.

“It’s just not easily done,” Suggit said.

Since graduating, Suggitt has been working for Parks Canada in Whitehorse.

He and another Perth heritage carpentry alumnus are working to restore the S.S. Klondike, a historic steamship designated as a national historic site since 1967.

Suggitt said people like him are brought in, not only because the heritage carpentry program makes him highly qualified, but because there are no local carpenters.

Whether it’s Whitehorse or Perth, Suggitt said, “we need to be investing in rural education, not making cuts.”

The S.S. Klondike with a sunset in the background. — Designated as a national historic site since 1960, the S.S. Klondike is currently undergoing restoration — a job well suited for Suggitt and his heritage carpentry training. Photo credit: Submitted by Braeden Suggitt

Closing the campus, Suggitt said, will not help fix the college’s financial woes. He called it a “Band-Aid solution to a much bigger problem.”

“The extra money could help restart programs elsewhere,” he said, “but it can’t buy back the lost trust from this community.”

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Donald Trump says he will not need Canada’s support in resources

News from all around the world and in your area on Jan. 23, coming from Algonquin Times journalists to you

Delaney Smith

Photos:

January 24, 2025
Revised: January 24, 2025 3:24pm

Local:

CTV: The National Capital Commission revealed the design chosen for the new Alexandra Bridge on Thursday morning.

The bridge connects Ottawa to Gatineau and is called Motion.

The concept design is inspired by the American eel, a native species to the Ottawa River, and pays tribute to the flowing current of the river.

Presented by the NCC and the Public Services and Procurement Canada, the design is considered the preferred design for the inter-provincial bridge, since the old one needs repairing and is at the end of its life.

The three designs that were shown by the NCC in October are Echo, Rendez vous and the newest among the designs, Motion.

National:

CBC: Pierre Poilievre said on Thursday at a new housing development site in Delta, B.C. that if he was in office as the Prime Minister, he would cut the amount of federal public workers but continue to allow some to work from home.

The Conservative leader didn’t mention the productivity of the civil servants, but said that work is not getting done in the federal government.

Poilievre was also asked about his opinion on Donald Trump’s new order of putting workers back into the office for all five days a week. He said as long as they are doing the work, remote work is fine.

International:

CTV: At the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum on Thursday, Donald Trump said that the United States does not need Canadian resources such as timber, oil, gas and autos.

The U.S. president also reiterated the concept of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States.

“We’re going to be demanding respect from other nations,” Trump said at the conference in Davos, Switzerland via video conference. “Canada has been very tough to deal with over the years.”

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Science lab on schedule as college mitigates disruption in A-building

Facilities Management has been busy in A-building recently with the ongoing science lab construction and other projects aimed at improving accessibility and safety

Bradley Richards

Photos: Bradley Richards

January 24, 2025
Revised: January 24, 2025 12:01pm

Photo: Bradley Richards

Cavanagh Construction signs posted outside of A-building where the science lab is being built.

Construction for the innovative science lab has been moving according to schedule, with accommodations being made to limit possible disturbances during this massive undertaking, according to Facilities Management.

“Sound barriers were installed at access points leading to adjacent corridors, significantly reducing noise transmission to other areas of the campus. Furthermore, all demolition activities were scheduled during non-study hours or overnight to avoid interference with daily operations,” said Ahmed Waked, associate director of Facilities Development, in an email to the Algonquin Times.

“For external construction work, close coordination with campus parking and service departments ensured that risks to facilities and the campus community were minimized. These efforts have been pivotal in keeping disruptions to an absolute minimum,” said Waked.

Jessica Lewis, a 25-year-old design foundations student, has noticed some noise from construction but understands that it cannot be avoided entirely.

“I heard, I think it was like a drill or something. I’m (working) in a kitchen so that doesn’t necessarily bother me, but I can understand how that would disrupt people, because I could feel the wall vibrating,” said Lewis.

“I can understand why people aren’t happy, but I think there is only so much you can do. Like if they are putting up new signs and stuff, they have to use a drill, they have to use a hammer.”

Sonja Wareberg, 23, a student in the the academic assistance for adults with developmental disabilities program, said she thinks “they’ve done a good job” at limiting the noise, but she can still hear the ongoing construction during class sometimes.

The science lab project, which began on July 22, 2024, has a targeted date of completion for August 2025. Facilities Management said they are pleased to report the project is progressing as planned.

“While potential challenges like weather conditions and equipment deliveries have been monitored closely, mitigation measures — such as weatherproofing, health and safety inspections, and proactive project management — have helped us stay on track without significant delays,” said Waked.

Construction for the new science lab is a major development for Algonquin College that will provide students with three biosafety level 2 labs, two chemistry labs and a research area.

Besides construction, there are many other major operations going on in A-building. These include upgrading fire safety protocols and stairwell nosings.

One of the many pull stations in A-building currently out of service. Photo credit: Bradley Richards

The college is replacing outdated pull stations in A-building to bring the fire alarm system up to provincial accessibility standards. Signs on some of the pull stations indicate they are temporarily not in service.

The stairwell nosings in stairwells B, C, D and E have been replaced with slip-resistant strips to improve safety for students and faculty. Emergency access to the stairwells was maintained during the six days of work in mid-January.

For more information about maintenance and construction throughout campus, check the Facilities Management page for timely updates on future Facilities Management tasks.

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Algonquin College students react to threat of TikTok ban in U.S.

Amid a battle between the U.S. government and the social media platform, Algonquin Times reporters fanned out across the Ottawa campus to get students' take on TikTok

Vasileios Tselios

Photos: Jack Beeston

January 24, 2025
Revised: January 24, 2025 10:23am

Photo: Jack Beeston

Melody Clifton telling Algonquin Times reporter Lara Simard how a potential TikTok ban would affect her.

Algonquin College students are conflicted on TikTok’s ban in the United States, acknowledging the positives and the negatives of the platform.

After an extensive dispute concerning TikTok’s data-gathering practices, the app was banned on Jan. 18 in the United States.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.,” a message from the app said. “Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”

The ban faced backlash on social media, and the app was available in the United States on the next day. U.S. President Donald Trump on his first day in office signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban for 75 days.

The TikTok ban doesn’t apply north of the border, but the Government of Canada last November ordered the “wind up” of the social media company’s Canadian business. The government didn’t block Canadians’ access to TikTok.

In light of the ban in the U.S., the Algonquin Times was curious how students’ life would change if they could no longer use TikTok.

Students were open about their frequent usage of the app, but they were indifferent to the ban.

For Flo Muka, a business student, TikTok is another social media platform that can be replaced. He said he is on TikTok for two hours a day, but if it were to be banned, he would easily switch to an alternative, such as YouTube Shorts.

“Not life changing. You move on,” he said.

Others find TikTok’s entertainment hard to replicate.

“I would have nothing to do honestly, because when I’m not studying, what I’m doing is watching TikTok when I can’t sleep,” said Melody Clifton, a nursing student.

Clifton does not like using other social media apps, such as Snapchat and Instagram. “I’d probably just watch more TV,” said Clifton.

For a few students, the app keeps them updated and informed.

“Honestly, I use it most days. I find I do learn a lot of information on that, just being on general news,” says Owen Ehrl, a first-year accounting student. “I think I would lose out on a lot of information and knowledge. But also, it could help me be more productive because I do find that I end up scrolling a lot.”

Aruzhan Tazhigaliyeva expressed a similar sentiment.

“If it did get banned, it would cut off my main source of information,” she said.

Some students reported rarely using the app, but they questioned the U.S. ban from an ethical standpoint.

“I don’t use TikTok at all but I’m against a ban. It’s some North Korea-type censorship,” said Kiernan Grand, a scriptwriting student.

Grand called the ban “scary” for those working in media, such as himself.

“I would have more free time to do hobbies, (but) I would be upset. It feels controlling,” said Bella Nuzzi, a nursing student.

“I know that it was owned by a Chinese company and that it could pose a security risk. I know it was banned on government devices but I find issue with banning TikTok on personal devices,” said Nuzzi.

TikTok has been in hot water with the U.S. government since February 2019, when they had to pay a $5.7 million settlement on federal allegations of violating U.S. child-privacy laws.

In April 2024, former president Joe Biden signed off on a bill giving the social media platform an ultimatum: either sell to a U.S. owner or the app would be banned in the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban on Jan. 17, 2025.

Contributors to this story: Skyla Murray, Duncan Roi, Hau Ting Ng, Joshua Peachey-Leigh, Ève Bélanger, Delaney Smith, Nathan Heatherington, Gavin Oregan, Nicklaus Korim, Jack Beeston, Bradley Richards, Lara Simard, Marcos Somarriba-Castillo, Elyse Barker, Kendra Mendrisky, Kevin Clasper-Inglis and Vasileios Tslelios

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Amazon Canada will close all warehouse locations in Quebec

Top stories from Ottawa and around the world on Jan. 22, 2025, by the Algonquin Times staff

Marcos Somarriba

Photos:

January 23, 2025
Revised: January 23, 2025 11:35am

Local

CBC – Ottawa is receiving $10.5 million from the Ontario government to fund homeless projects in the city for the next two years.

The decision came after the federal government allowed Ontario to fund homeless projects directly to municipalities.

Clara Freire, Ottawa’s general manager of community and social services, is optimistic about the fundings.

“We’re hoping we can get the funding approved fairly quickly,” said Freire. “The key is to work now on a strategy to implement which will take some time especially if we’re looking at some capital development.”

Freire states the fundings will go directly toward the city’s encampment strategy, which costs around $14 million.

National
CP – Amazon Canada announced they will be closing all seven of their warehouses in Quebec, resulting in a staff layoff over the next two months.

The decision came following a difficult relationship between Amazon and unionized labour workers in Laval, Que.

Francois Legault, premier of Quebec, expressed deep sadness regarding the decision.

“I can understand that it must be tough for the 1,700 families involved with these decisions,” said Legault.

Caroline Senneville, president of the union involved in Laval, called the decision “a slap in the face for all Quebec workers.”

Around 1,700 permanent employees in the province are to be laid off in the following two months.

International

AP News – A fatal high school shooting in Nashville, Tenn. left one injured and two dead, including shooter, marking it this year’s first school shooting in the United States.

It was a usual day in Antioch High School when students began their lunch period, until disaster struck.

A 17-year-old male student, Solomon Henderson, walked into the cafeteria to “confront” 16-year-old female student, Josselin Corea Escalante. Henderson opened fire, killing Escalante.

Shortly after firing his handgun, Henderson then pulled the trigger on himself.

Another male student, who was with Escalante, suffered a bullet graze wound. The male student was treated for his injuries and left the hospital the same day.

The high school is home to 2,000 students and located in Antioch, a residential area 16 kilometers from downtown Nashville.

Nashville police are actively investigating to find a possible motive for the shooting and why the victims were targeted.

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Beathoven Club hosts another successful open mic night at Algonquin College

Beathoven Club strikes a chord at Algonquin's second open mic night

Elyse Barker

Photos: Elyse Barker

January 22, 2025
Revised: January 22, 2025 5:27pm

Photo: Elyse Barker

Monique Messier captivates the crowd with a soulful performance at the open mic night.

The Beathoven Club hosted its second open mic night on Jan. 17, uniting Algonquin College students with live music while holding a space to showcase their talents in the school’s Observatory.

Music filled the campus pub as performers took the stage. Faith Bernard-Ottereyes, a music industry arts student and leader of the Beathoven Club, shared her inspiration for founding the club.

“A lot of my classmates wanted to find a way to get together and jam out. We got 80 endorsements to approve our club, so it was definitely something that was needed on campus for students to express their talents,” she said.

“This is a great place to meet people who love music just as much as we do.”

Club leader Faith Bernard-Ottereyes posed in a black shirt against a grey wall right before the opening of the show. — Club leader Faith Bernard-Ottereyes poses before opening the stage for the night performers. Photo credit: Elyse Barker

The night began with artists signing up at 6 p.m. and performances starting promptly at 7 p.m. Performers showcased a variety of talents, including original songs and covers of popular hits.

Monique Messier, a music industry arts student, performed an original piece alongside a song by The Cranberries.

“The highlight of performing is seeing the talent that everyone has and feeling the connection within the audience,” she shared

“This club does a great job at building community within this campus. One like no other in my opinion.”

Other standout performances included August John’s heartfelt original, A Sailor’s Song, which captivated the room with the song’s storytelling, and J.Dunni, who brought an energetic 90s-inspired rap vibe that had the crowd moving.

Singer August John on stage performing in front of a live audience in a blue and white collard t-shirt. — Singer August John performing his original song "A Sailor's Song" at the Open Mic show. Photo credit: Elyse Barker

The variety of performances ensured there was something for everyone to enjoy.

The open mic also attracted first-time audience members, such as Alex Gonzales, a second-year radio broadcasting student, and Moses Mukendi, a fellow music industry arts student.

Both expressed excitement about supporting their peers and enjoying the performances.

“This school has so many under-represented artists that deserve more attention,” Mukendi added.

Gonzales also shared his enthusiasm. “I’m blown away by the level of talent here tonight,” he said.

“It’s refreshing to see students expressing themselves so authentically.”

As the evening concluded, the Beathoven Club reinforced its role as a hub for music enthusiasts at Algonquin College. Bernard-Ottereyes encouraged more students to attend future events.

“It keeps the student body inspired and is very entertaining. We want everyone to know that this is a space where they can enjoy and share their love for music.”

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Students and staff highlight the importance of community on Blue Monday

The Students’ Association offered motivational quotes and the AC Hub hosted a movie night, marking the start of mental health awareness week

Kendra Mendrisky

Photos: Kendra Mendrisky

January 22, 2025
Revised: January 22, 2025 3:31pm

Photo: Kendra Mendrisky

Members of the Students' Association, Cianah Miller (left) and Kate Ardidon (right), talk to students about the events taking place during the week.

Algonquin College students found comfort reading written encouragements and watching Mamma Mia in the Student Commons on Blue Monday, known as the most depressing day of the year.

The Students’ Association has a table set up from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24 in E-building for their “take what you need” initiative, along with information about other free events being offered throughout the week.

A student reaches into the mindful exercise box Monday afternoon. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky

“We have different boxes set up for people to take words of affirmation, and they’ve been loving it,” said Cianah Miller, a brand ambassador for the Students’ Association.

The boxes hold little slips of paper with motivational quotes, journal prompts, affirmations and mindful exercises, and will be available for students to take all day from Monday to Friday.

Miller recently picked up journaling, which helps her deal with the winter blues.

Others beat the blues by escaping to Greece and taking in the tunes of Swedish sensation, ABBA.

“I’ve seen it many times before, but I just love the storyline, the music, the characters, just brings the movie all together,” said Lukas Auer, a student in the broadcasting – radio and podcasting program at Algonquin College.

Samantha Therrien, the events programmer at the AC Hub, picked Mamma Mia because it is “fun, good vibes and lighthearted.”

About 40 students attended the AC Hub’s third annual Blue Monday movie night, which took place between 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Students enjoyed chips and juice boxes and picked a pair of colourful plastic sunglasses, which some wore during the movie.

Students line up for snacks ten minutes before the movie. Photo credit: Kendra Mendrisky

Therrien was happily surprised by the turnout.

“It’s really kind of a dark day for a lot of people,” she said. “After the holidays, a lot of students are stressed, getting back to their routines, school’s picking up again.”

In Canada, Blue Monday is also associated with long, cold nights and failed new year’s resolutions, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Therrien hopes the movie night helped students relax and feel supported by the school community.

Algonquin College Student Services shared some strategies to support mental well-being on their Instagram page, including acknowledging emotions, limiting stressors, taking time for moments of relaxation and reaching out for support when needed.

Auer wants to be known as a person who puts others before himself.

“Community is such a big thing in this world, and I feel like we need each other,” said Auer. “We should always just be there for each other because it’s always something to consider. That’s what school’s about, too, is a community.”

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Women’s basketball Wolves remain undefeated with victory over Lords

The Algonquin Wolves women's basketball team claimed an overwhelming victory over the Durham Lords, sweeping season series

Nathan Heatherington

Photos: Nathan Heatherington

January 22, 2025
Revised: January 22, 2025 2:42pm

Photo: Nathan Heatherington

Sydney Moore gets around two Lords players to move the ball up the court at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The Algonquin Wolves women’s basketball team defeated the Durham Lords 75-42 on Jan.17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre, remaining undefeated in the regular season.

Much of the team’s success can be attributed to their defence, with the crowd chanting “D what? Defence!” for most of the game.

“We had some really good moments on defence one-on-one. There were some moments as a team where we lapsed, but that is where we learn and grow,” said Jamie McLean, the head coach for the Wolves.

“It was about trying to show consistency. We started well in the first quarter and kept it going in the second. Durham adjusted well going into the third quarter, but it just means we have a long way to go to prove who we are,” said McLean.

Even though the Wolves won by a landslide, McLean was humble.

“It wasn’t our best performance, but it will teach us going forward,” he said.

Sydney Moore, a guard for the Wolves, scored four three-pointers.

“My teammates just kept finding me. I’ve been playing with these girls since my first year. They know where I am going to be,” said Moore.

Dasia McDonald, a guard for the Wolves, completed passes to get six assists.

“Believing in my teammates makes it easy to make the pass. I believe in them to score, and they believe in me to make the pass. It’s about the confidence within each other,” said McDonald.

McDonald suffered two injuries, one in the first quarter damaging her knee, and one in the second quarter hurting her ankle. Both injuries resulted in re-aggravating an older hip injury. McDonald continued to play through her injuries and remained a key player for the Wolves.

Deja McDonald walking off the court after suffering her second injury at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre — Dasia McDonald walking off the court after suffering her second injury at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre Photo credit: Nathan Heatherington

“Nothing I can’t play through. Injuries don’t set us back, the team works hard to make up for it,” said McDonald.

Kate Dahmer, a guard for the Wolves, scored a late breakaway layup for the Wolves.

“They passed the ball, I tipped it with my hand back to (the lords), she tipped it back into my face and I was like OK, I’ll take it,” said Dahmer.

Cianah Miller makes a move toward the key at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. Photo credit: Nathan Heatherington

“Our team showed a lot of energy. I think in the next games we will show that again and show other teams what we are made of.”

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Men’s basketball Wolves come up short against Durham

In a back-and-forth game, Algonquin was a few minutes away from breaking Durham’s undefeated season

Vasileios Tselios

Photos: Vasileios Tselios

January 22, 2025
Revised: January 22, 2025 2:38pm

Photo: Vasileios Tselios

Wolves forward Tesloch Luk goes for a layup against the Durham Lords on Jan.17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The Wolves men’s basketball team lost 81-68 against the Durham Lords on Jan. 17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The matchup pitted two of the top seeds in the eastern conference, Durham in first and Algonquin in third place, respectively. Their previous matchup in Oshawa in November saw the Wolves narrowly lose by six points.

Durham came into the game in Ottawa looking to maintain their unbeaten record of 11-0, now 12-0, on the back of their defence. The Lords’ defence allows the fewest points, three-point percentage and assists in the OCAA.

The Wolves looked to become the first team to beat Durham this season and to prove its status as an elite team in the province.

“I think we have a good enough team to win it all this year. I think nationals is our ceiling to be honest,” said Wolves forward Ted Braden.

The first quarter proved a difficult one for the Wolves, as Durham’s full-court press allowed them to take a commanding lead early on. The Wolves were forced into turnovers, which led to easy opportunities for Durham in the other end.

With the first quarter ending 26-16 in favour of the Lords, the Wolves had a lot of ground to make up in the following three quarters in order to come back.

The two teams were much more evenly matched in the second quarter, as the Wolves cut down on the turnovers and the fouls that plagued them in the first quarter. The Lords went to the free-throw line only four times in the second quarter, compared to the 10 they shot in the first.

Due to the fewer mistakes, the Wolves cut the lead down to four points with four minutes left in the first half until the Lords went on an 8-0 team run. An unsportsmanlike conduct foul was charged to the Wolves’ Devonte Brooks, which sparked a new level of intensity between the two teams.

The Wolves headed into halftime down 42-34.

Wolves Forward Ted Brayden goes for a layup against the Durham Lords on Jan.17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. — Wolves forward Ted Brayden goes for a layup against the Durham Lords on Jan.17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. Photo credit: Vasileios Tselios

The Wolves’ halftime adjustments proved effective in the third quarter as they more than doubled Durham’s rebounds and free throws in the quarter. The Wolves slowly cut into the lead until an unsportsmanlike conduct foul was called on Durham’s Jasean Elliott.

The call, similar to the one in the second quarter, lit the game on fire, and the Wolves were able to take the lead with a Simon Desta jump shot and the crowd fully behind them.

“We came out in the third, and played a great third quarter at both ends. The defence was fantastic,” said Wolves assistant coach Jim Langis.

“That’s what the playoffs are like. You have to learn to play in those situations where you are going all out but you still got to be able to concentrate and execute the technical things.”

Heading into the fourth quarter, the emotion of the game reached an all-time high as the crowd exploded in cheers after Wolves forward Chris Lachapelle got fouled and still scored through the contact.

The Wolves raced to a 66-59 lead with eight minutes left in the game, after two made free throws from Tesloch Luk.

Wolves Forward Tesloch Luk dribbles against the Durham Lords on Jan.17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. — Wolves forward Tesloch Luk dribbles against the Durham Lords on Jan.17 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. Photo credit: Vasileios Tselios

At that point, the Lords’ full-court press once again started giving the Wolves troubles, causing turnovers for the home team.

The Lords would go on to outscore the Wolves 21-2 until the end of the game.

“I thought we played solid in the second and third quarter but just the last seven minutes down the stretch, we fell apart there,” said Braden.

Head coach Trevor Costello highlighted two particular areas where the Wolves were outmatched on the night.

“Offensive rebounding, they killed us on the boards and turnovers. Crucial turnovers. Our main guys turning the ball over in crunch time doesn’t help and it leads to a loss,” said Costello.

Durham did a particularly good job on the Wolves’ main ball handler, Luk. He was constantly trapped on the elbow of the three-point line. Luk finished the game four points below his 21 points per game average, which leads the OCAA.

Despite the tough loss, the faith in the Wolves’ locker room is still high when looking ahead to the rest of the season.

“(Durham) are a good team, they deserve the record they have. But I don’t think there is anyone in our change room that thought that if we see them again in the playoffs, we are not capable of winning that game,” said Langis.

Costello is confident the Wolves can match up against any team in the OCAA.

“We are not afraid of anybody. Our record is whatever, 8-4, but we are not afraid,” he said. “We will take on anybody. If we put it all together, we are the best team in the province.”

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