The Guelph Gryphons (11-14, 8-8) playing in their first home game in over a month pulled off their biggest win in five years with an inspired 96-92 win over the visiting and No. 1 ranked Ryerson Rams (21-5, 14-2) at the W.F Mitchell Centre.
Paced by a career-high 27 points from third-year guard Jonathan Wallace (Malton, ON) the Gryphons fought a furious Ryerson comeback as Adika Peter-McNeilly poured scored 11 of his game-high 34 points in a furious last minute snapping the Rams 11-game winning streak and keeping their slim playoff hopes alive in a bunched-up and intriguing Ontario University Association.
“We had nothing to lose, they’re No. 1, we’re in a precarious position. We played fearless.” discussed veteran (18th season) head coach Chris O’Rourke after picking up a signature win.
“I knew we were capable of doing it,” said Wallace a Toronto product, “I felt in the zone. When I had shots, I wanted to stick them.” And stick them they did as nailed 12-29
41.4% from downtown, 6’5 forward Ahmed Haroon (Mississauga,ON) notched a double-double of 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and Guard Daniel Dooley (Burlington, ON) came up clutch knocking down some huge shots, finishing with night with 19 points and 9 assists.
Guelph has won three of their last four games and is 6-3 in the second semester, halting a five game losing skid to the Rams in the process that goes back to November 2010 when the Gryphons defeated Ryerson 90-77 in Toronto.
With just three games remaining in regular season their Gryphons still have a tall ladder to climb in their are going to get in the postseason, the Toronto Blues, McMaster Marauders and the Brock Badgers stand in the way Gryphons playoff aspirations.
Aaron Best added 24 points and 10 rebounds the in the Rams losing effort which will surely impact the national rankings and could see Ryerson drop-out of the top five entirely.
