By Adriel Smiley
After losing their first game of the season Saturday night, the Ryerson Rams men’s basketball team bounced back and took an 89-58 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Jan. 6 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
With the win, the Rams snapped the Gee-Gees’ eight-game winning streak and remain second in the OUA East with a 11-1 record. For the Rams, it was all about playing aggressive on the defensive end, as they managed to force a red hot Ottawa team to a 25.7 field goal percentage.
One of the key matchups coming into the game was between Rams guard Myles Charvis and Ottawa’s Calvin Epistola. Charvis started off strong on Epistola, preventing the Gee-Gees guard to work the pick and roll early on in the contest.
On the offensive end, the Rams went to forward Tanor Ngom early and often, building an early 10-point lead midway through the first quarter. The quarter ended with the Rams up 25-12, with Epistola scoring 10 of his team’s 12 points in the opening frame.
The Gee Gees stormed into the second quarter with more confidence as guard Brandon Robinson began to penetrate the paint to create some space for his teammates.
The overall length and athleticism of the Rams continued to be overwhelming on both ends of the floor. After getting stops on defence, they were able to score on the other end and extend the lead to 17.
Charvis led the Rams in scoring at half with 12 points, shooting 5-5 from the field. The second half wasn’t any better for the Gee-Gees, as the Rams extended their lead to 73-43. Rams assistant coach Borko Popic commended the team on their defensive aggression in the second half.
“Our guards did a really good job of applying the pressure, making them feel us, getting them out of their comfort zone,” Popic said.
After leaving and returning during yesterday’s matchup, Ngom received another injury scare with 6:00 left in the third quarter. This time, he wouldn’t return. Despite Ngom’s exit, the Rams continued their energy in the fourth, which led into a balanced scoring night from the team with five players in double figures.
UP NEXT: The Rams will travel to Kingston to take on the Queen’s Gaels on Jan. 11. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
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