Queen’s Men’s Basketball had a rough weekend with losses to both Guelph and Western.
Recent injuries have altered the team dynamic and forced the Gaels to look to their bench or support—fortunately, the second line is responding well.
“It’s tough, injuries are kind of a fluky thing,” Gael starter Connor Kelly said in a post-game interview with Athletics and Recreation.
“Everyone was having good seasons so it’s tough to see guys go down, but you know against Guelph we had Seb Campbell and Scott Jenkins come in off the bench, play really well, and give us a bit of a spark. When guys get injured, opportunity comes for other guys.”
On Friday, the Gaels held the Gryphons off for the first half and started the third quarter with a one-point lead. However, Guelph went on a run with two minutes left in the quarter and pulled ahead by eight-points, ultimately winning 94-84.
“We’re trying to hold it afloat until some of the guys get back and you know keep that next man up kind of mentality that we have,” Kelly said.
On Sunday, the Gaels welcomed the Gee Gees to the ARC for their second matchup of the season. The game attracted a huge fan turnout and the gym filled with energy.
The game started off rough as the Gaels missed their first five shots. After that, however, Queen’s matched uOttawa point for point in the first quarter. uOttawa outscored Queen’s in the second, third, and fourth quarters as the Gaels shots just wouldn’t drop.
Despite Queen’s finishing with a 30-point deficit, the teams seemed evenly matched in most areas. Both used turnovers to convert points, both relied on their bench for baskets, and both made plenty in the paint. Rebounds and second chance points were the difference.
uOttawa was consistent on the boards and totaled 39 rebounds. Even better were their second chance points: the Gee Gees dominated the second half because even when their shots didn’t drop the first time, they pursed the rebound and secured the putback.
“[u]Ottawa killed us on the boards tonight,” Kelly said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to Ottawa; they really came and played really well and so we will go back to the tape and learn from it and try to get better.”
Looking ahead to this weekend—when they’ll play Lakehead on Friday at the ARC and York on Sunday in Toronto—the Gaels plan to regroup, reset, and move onto the next one.
“It’s a little slump, but you know, it’s part of a 22-game season and we’re looking to bounce back on Friday,” Kelly said. “We’ve got to get ready for that.”
Tags
Basketball, Connor Kelly, Gaels, Guelph, Western
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