Wolves split Toronto road trip after emotional win at George Brown

The Algonquin Wolves men’s basketball team closed out their final road trip of the semester with a split in Toronto, earning a hard-fought win over George Brown on Saturday before falling to top-ranked Centennial on Sunday.

On Nov. 22, the matchup at George Brown carried weight for both teams, each looking for a second win of the season. The Wolves opened with their best quarter of the year, doubling up the Huskies 30-15 with lights-out shooting. Guard James Texeira knocked down three straight threes for nine early points as the Wolves shot nearly 70 per cent from the field in the opening frame.

But the momentum flipped over the next two quarters. The Wolves were outscored 45–24 in the middle stretch and entered the fourth trailing 60–54. Head coach Trevor Costello said the group needed a reset.

“We stunk the joint up a little bit in the second and third,” said Costello. “But the addition of Frank Thomas made a hell of a difference. First game, and he changed the pace for us.”

Texeira tied the game at 65 with two free throws midway through the fourth. A minute later, Aydin Gilani drilled a three from the top of the arc to push Algonquin ahead. The teams traded baskets until back-to-back scores from Albert Opena and another Texeira three-pointer gave the Wolves the separation they needed. They closed out their second win of the season 79–75.

Texeira finished with 20 points on efficient shooting, while Opena added 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. Haven Holder scored 15, and Gilani recorded an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. Newcomer Thomas had 10 points and five boards in his debut.

Players said the late push came from finally locking back in defensively.

“We started sleeping on defence earlier, but once we got that timeout, we knew we weren’t going to lose,” said Gilani. “When we all play with energy, no one can stop us.”

Thomas, who impressed in his first outing, said his focus was on earning the team’s trust.

“I didn’t want to do too much,” he said. “Just play hard, make the little plays and keep the energy up. You’re not going to score every game, so you’ve got to affect the game in other ways.”

Less than 24 hours later, the Wolves met a Centennial team sitting near the top of the OCAA East. The Wolves opened well again, leading 16–8 before the Colts surged late in the first. The second quarter proved decisive as the Wolves shot 21.4 per cent and turned the ball over seven times, creating a 19-point halftime hole they never recovered from.

Centennial controlled the remainder of the game, handing Algonquin a 108–69 loss. Opena led the Wolves with 21 points, while Holder and Shyeem Brown each added 10.

Costello said fatigue played a role but didn’t excuse the outcome.

“My main guys played close to 40 minutes the night before and then had to do it again, but that’s the league,” he said. “The Colts were the better team. They were more physical and they asserted themselves.”

The Wolves sit at 2–6 heading into their final game of the semester on Friday, when they host the Seneca Sting at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. Costello said the focus now is on discipline and defensive execution.

“Seneca’s smart and well-coached,” he said. “If we don’t play smart defensively, they’ll make us pay. But this weekend showed we’re getting there.”