Saturday afternoon marks the first of four consecutive road games for the Lambton Lions men’s basketball program.

The Lions will make the trip to the Greater Toronto Area for a Saturday afternoon tilt with the top-ranked team in the CCAA, the undefeated Sheridan Bruins.

Opening tip is set for 4 p.m.

Lambton enters Saturday at .500 with a 3-3 record, but have lost their last two outings after holding double-digit leads in the second half. Back on November 1^st, the Lions saw their 12-point lead at halftime disappear in the second half against the Redeemer Royals on the road.

The Lions would eventually fall to the Royals in overtime, 100-96.

Four days later, the Lions welcomed the St. Clair Saints to the Lambton College Athletics & Fitness Complex in what was the 2^nd Annual White Out Game. Again, the Lions led at half, and they saw their lead grow to double-digits later in the second half. However, Lambton wasn’t able to seal the deal in the fourth quarter, and hot shooting from the Saints spurred the comeback.

St. Clair picked up the 91-85 win over the Lions, handing Lambton their second straight defeat in the process.

Saturday presents another opportunity for the Lions to get back on track, and it also shows the team how they stack up with the top-ranked team in the country. With all three of their losses having been decided by six points or less, the Lions have been right there in every game thus far. Tough stretches down the stretch have been their Achilles heel, and it’s something they will look to correct against the Bruins.

Forward Jason Watts II (Detroit, Mich.; 5^th Year) has been as steady as they come on offense through six games. Watts leads the team in scoring, averaging an even 19.0 points per contest while shooting 54.9% from the floor. He has recorded at least 12 points in all six games, and he has shot at least 50% from the field each time out.

Watts ranks 11^th in the OCAA in scoring, while his 9.0 rebounds per game have him tied for 10^th in the conference, along with teammate Deiondre Reid (Scarborough, Ont.; 2^nd).

In the back court, guard Kam David (Brampton, Ont.; 1^st) has looked more like a veteran than a first-year player for the Lions. Despite missing two games due to an ankle injury, David is averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 assists over the first four games of his collegiate career.

The likes of David, Tyvell Peters (Jane & Finch, Ont.; 3^rd) and the rest of the Lions’ back court will have their hands full with the high-powered offense of the Bruins. Guard Jemol Edwards ranks first in the OCAA in scoring with an average of 27.3 points per contest. Edwards has two games with 30+ points to his name thus far, and he has recorded at least 12 points in all four outings.

Last season, the Bruins took both games against the Lions by a combined seven points. Sheridan picked up a four-point victory in November on their home floor, 101-97. Then, in January, the Bruins notched a 79-76 win over the Lions to complete the two-game regular season sweep.

On Saturday, the Lions will have the opportunity to exact some revenge on the Bruins for the two losses last season. On top of that, they have an opportunity to make an emphatic statement with a strong showing against the nation’s top-ranked team.

Lambton will look to kick off their four-game road swing with a strong performance against the Bruins.