Game Day: vs Wittenberg NCAA D3 7pm Alumni Hall

Mustangs 72 Transylvania 63

Story by Mustangs Athletics Ray Kim

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Barbeau's clutch performance leads the Mustangs to victory in exhibition basketball action

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs men’s basketball team battled the Transylvania Pioneers (KY) on Monday in exhibition action at Alumni Hall, coming out on top 72-63.

After opening the pre-season with 3 losses, the revamped Mustangs were looking for the “W”.  The Mustangs started with some great energy and in the first quarter, rookie Ryan Higgins from Fergus, Ontario led the team with his strong play. Higgins showed some potential doing a little bit of everything, closing out on shots, knocking down open jumpers, blocking shots and scrambling for the ball. Transylvania led after one, 24-22.

Both teams were sluggish coming out of the second quarter, turning the ball over many times and missing shots. The two teams went into halftime with Transylvania leading 34-32.

In the third quarter, Mustangs’ 2nd year guard Quinn Henderson helped his team keep up with the Pioneers by scoring 7 of his teams’ 12 points in another low scoring quarter for both teams.  The Mustangs had cut the lead to 1 after three quarters, trailing 45-44 heading into the fourth.

The final quarter saw the Mustangs battle to take the lead. Heavy defensive pressure led by Jermaine Bernard, Peter Scholtes’ rebounds and Ryan Barbeau’s clutch baskets allowed Western to take and maintain the lead. Barbeau scored 10 of his game high 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a contested three. The Mustangs ended the game with a 72-63 victory.

The Mustangs will be looking for back to back wins tomorrow night when they take on Wittenberg College at 7 p.m at Alumni Hall.

Game Day: vs Transylvania (NCAA D2) 7pm Alumni Hall

The Mustangs take on NCAA Division II Transylvania from Kentucky tonight at 7pm Alumni Hall.

Calgary 83 Mustangs 75

Ryan Barbeau had a career high 39 pts

Mustangs Topped by Dinos 83-75 in Exhibition Basketball

10/15/2011 12:08:00 AM
Article by Mustangs Athletics - Chris McLachlin

LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs hosted the University of Calgary Dinos tonight at Alumni Hall in men’s exhibition basketball play and the Dinos outscored the Mustangs 83-75.
Mustangs’ 5th year senior Ryan Barbeau scored five of his game-high 39 points in the first quarter, but it was the Dino’s who jumped out to the early lead 20-13 after the first. Jarred Ogungberri-Jackson paced the Dinos with six points in the first quarter.
The seven point edge in the first quarter proved to be the difference, as the two sides battled up and down the court the rest of the way.
The second quarter saw Calgary only add one point to their lead as the Western offense started to click and the two teams went into halftime with Calgary leading 41-33.
In the third quarter Barbeau caught fire, scoring 18 straight points for the Mustangs as the team scored 21 in the quarter, while the balanced Dinos attack scored 20 to make the score Calgary 61, Western 54 after three.
In the fourth quarter the Calgary defense adjusted their focus to Barbeau and second year Forward Peter Scholtes picked up the slack, pouring in nine of his 20 points in the final frame. Although the Mustangs fought hard and got the deficit within three points in the final minute, the Dinos made critical free throws and shots down the stretch to come out on top 83-75.
The top scorers in the game were Barbeau with 39 for the Mustangs while Ogungberri-Jackson and Tyler Fidler each had 18 for the visiting Dinos.
The Mustangs continue their exhibition schedule on Monday night when the host the Transylvania Pioneers at Alumni Hall at 7:00 PM. The following night they will host the Wittenberg College Tigers.

Game Day: Mustangs vs Calgary 7pm Alumni Hall

This will be a great early test for the Mustangs. Calgary is coming off a 76-71 victory over Windsor last night.

Curtis looking to make London Lightning's Roster

London Free Press Article by Steve Green

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Three Canucks seek two spots

BASKETBALL: The London Lightning expect to name 10 of 12 players by Thursday

By STEVE GREEN, THE LONDON FREE PRESS

Last Updated: October 11, 2011 8:08pm

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Former Western Mustang Matt Curtis keeps the ball away from Nick Lother at London Lightning camp in London on Tuesday. Curtis and Lothar, along with former Fanshawe star Pat Sewell, are battling for two roster spots guaranteed to Canadians. (DEREK RUTTAN, The London Free Press)

With a 50-50 chance, the odds were pretty good for the four Canadian players invited to the London Lightning's inaugural training camp.

And with one of them having been cut, those odds are even better with the bulk of the final roster for the National Basketball League of Canada team expected to be announced Thursday.

"It's been tough, it's been a good workout," said Londoner Pat Sewell, a South grad and a former Canadian college player of the year with Fanshawe. "The boys are huge, but physically I think I've made my presence known. I've been getting boards, but my shot's not really falling, which is a little frustrating."

Former University of Windsor guard Isaac Kuon was one of two cuts made by head coach Micheal Ray Richardson as he looks to name at least 10 players on his 12-man roster $- including the league-mandated two Canadians - by Thursday. Even with his prospects that much brighter, Sewell is taking nothing for granted.

Asked if he felt confident, he said, "I am and I'm not. I mean, nothing's ever written in stone, but I'm more confident now than I was on the first day. I'm just still trying to get back to my own game. I've been out almost a year and a half now and good competition like this is hard to find."

Former Western Mustangs guard Matt Curtis and former Winnipeg Wesmen guard Nick Lother are the other two remaining Canucks. Lother, 23, is laid-back about his chances, much like Sewell.

"This is the highest level of basketball I've ever played," he said. "Some of these players have played all over the world and have a lot of experience. I'm just one of the guys who's all ears, who's taking it all in and just listening to what they and the coach have to say.

"I'm just doing whatever is asked of me and making sure I'm listening."

Two-a-day practices at the downtown YMCA - one at 6 a.m., the other in the afternoon - are something new for Lother, but it's not the biggest adjustment he's had to make.

"The guys are a lot bigger here, stronger, faster. It's important to understand that everyone on the floor can make plays, so you don't always have to do it yourself. My job is just to move the ball around and give other guys the opportunity to make plays."

Making the Lightning, Lother said, "would be one of my proudest moments" and it would be due in no small part to his Wesmen coach Mike Rainbault.

"He kind of rekindled my love for basketball."

Should Lother make the roster, one of his off-court duties will be speaking at local schools, a natural fit for Lother, who was an educational assistant in the Winnipeg school system.

"I love working with kids; I think they're great," he said. "I think it's important to share with them how to reach their goals and do things right."

But should Lother be the odd man out Thursday, it's been a blast.

"The guys are all saying how surprised they are at the talent we have up here," he said. "And I never really thought I had to work that much harder to prove myself just because I'm Canadian. I'm just lucky to have this opportunity and thankful to have it and I'm just enjoying the experience.

"Ultimately, it's the coach's decision and I'm just trying to play my best and put myself in a position to make the team, If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out and I'll just go home."

Centre Jeremy Saffore out of Tennessee-Chattanooga was the other player released, with six-foot guard DeAnthony Bowden (Creighton) and 6-foot-8 swingman Tyler King (Duke, Villanova) expected to join the team and get a late look from Richardson.

Andrew Wedemire with Glasgow Rocks

Former Mustang great Andrew Wedemire with his new team the Glasgow Rocks

The official Glasgow Rocks home page Click Here