Wolves men’s basketball team stuns Huskies at home 91-74

The Wolves men’s basketball team extended their win streak to three consecutive games on Jan. 17 with a 91-74 victory over the George Brown Huskies at Algonquin College’s Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The George Brown Huskies came into the game after suffering three consecutive loses. In Ottawa, they were unable to capitalize as the Wolves hounded them on defence.

“I’m always trying to make sure my team’s winning,” said Wolves forward Aydin Gilani.

Gilani put up 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals while playing a key role in the Wolves’ defensive scheme.

The Wolves came out aggressive at both ends of the court. The team started with a 10-3 run in the opening minutes of the game. The Wolves continued their first-quarter success, thanks to their hard-nosed defence and their ability to finish in both transition and around the rim. The first quarter ended with a bang, with guard Albert Opena hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer, putting the Wolves up 26-16 heading into the second quarter.

Opena and Frank Thomas kept the Wolves afloat in the paint and from the foul line in the second quarter. Opena, who finished the game with 30 points, the second game in a row hitting that mark, has solidified himself as the Wolves’ go-to player.

Head coach Trevor Costello said “Albert is always nice to have,” and considers him the best player in the league.

The Wolves’ defence was promising, as they were able to force tough shots and hold the Huskies to a 38.2 per cent field goal percentage while grabbing 13 steals as a unit.

“Cultures will always emphasize defensive-first, so I always like to be a defensive-first player,” said Gilani.

Costello seemed pleased with the team’s performance.

“Guys are playing better lately, we shared the ball a lot more than usual last night and it showed on the scoreboard,” Costello said. “Another thing is defensively we did what we wanted for the most part and that’s a key.”