MBB | Voyageurs Pick Up Key Win On The Road
The Laurentian Voyageurs men's basketball team took to the road Friday night for their one and only game of the weekend. The game took place in the Soo with the Voyageurs taking on the Algoma Thunderbirds.
Laurentian went into the game struggling so far in 2025 coming away with just one win in their first six contests of the new year and with the OUA playoffs looming Laurentian came into this matchup looking to create some much needed momentum late in the regular season. The Thunderbirds on the other hand came into the game very much on the outside looking in, still without a regular season win this year.
The game began in the perfect way for Algoma as out of the gates it seemed like Laurentian's offense couldn't really get anything going. The other end of the court was a completely different story as the Thunderbirds couldn't seem to miss. Algoma began the game going up 11-2 before the Voyageurs would cut the lead back down to 11-8. From there though Algoma would then go on another 11-4 run and take an 8 point lead into the second quarter.
After the subpar first quarter the Voyageurs seemed to wake up and really lock in on the defensive end. The Thunderbirds shooting went from 47% shooting from the field and 50% from three point range in the first to just 26% from the field and going 0-5 from downtown in the second. The other key stat in the second quarter was the Voyageurs out rebounding their opponents 18-4 including 8 rebounds on the offensive glass spearheading the Laurentian second quarter offense as they would go into halftime with a 33-30 lead.
The third quarter saw the same defensive intensity from Laurentian. Algoma in the third would be held to just 20% shooting this time and a lowly 8 total points while the Laurentian offense led by five points off the bench from Ismael Konate were able to extend their lead to seven going into the final ten minutes.
The lead in the fourth would get as high as 14 points with Algoma never really threatening the Voyageurs lead with the final score reading 60-50 and Laurentian coming away with a much needed victory, snapping a four game losing streak in the process.
Laurentian's top performers on the day included Nginyu Ngala who had a game high 19 points and 12 rebounds while Ismael Konate pitched in with a solid 13 point seven rebound night off of the bench.
Laurentian will round out the regular season with four consecutive home games beginning next weekend when they welcome the Queen's Gaels and Ontario Tech Ridgebacks to Sudbury with both games on Friday and Saturday night set to begin at 8pm from the Ben Avery Gym.
- Andrew Lemieux