In front of a packed house inside the Lambton College Athletics & Fitness Complex, the Lambton Lions women’s basketball team cruised to the 89-43 win over the visiting Niagara College Knights.
The Lions open the new season with a win, extending their winning streak to eight games overall when you factor in their preseason tournaments and exhibition games.
Niagara falls to 0-1 on the young season, losing in Head Coach Chris Rao’s regular season debut.
Lambton used a strong start to the game to steal any momentum. The Lions opened the contest on a 14-0 run, holding the Knights without a point for close to five minutes. When the buzzer sounded to end the first quarter, Lambton held a 26-4 edge over the Knights.
“I felt that we played four quarters with effort, which is what I’ve been asking of them,” said Head Coach Kendel Ross. “It’s a good way to start the season, but we’ve definitely got more work to do.”
Riding a wave of momentum after their dominant first quarter, the Lions built themselves a 55-20 lead at half. The second half was merely a formality, and the Lions were never seriously threatened on their way to an 89-43 win.
All five starters for the Lions finished in double-digits in the win. Cassidy Crowe (Sarnia, Ont.; 2nd Year) led all scorers with 19 points in her Lambton regular season debut. Breanna Pretty (Sarnia, Ont.; 1st) added 14 points, on 6-of-7 shooting, while pulling down six rebounds.
Fellow first-year guard Taya Spears (London, Ont.) narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Defensively, the Lions forced the Knights into committing 24 turnovers. Lambton turned those turnovers into 44 points in transition, which was a big difference on Friday night.
Elisabeth deBoer led Niagara with 10 points in 17 minutes off the bench.
It’s a quick turnaround for the Lions, as they return to the court on October 19th for a Saturday afternoon matinee.
Lambton will host the Mohawk Mountaineers inside the Lambton College Athletics & Fitness Complex with opening tip scheduled for 1 p.m.