BARRIE, Ont. - The Georgian Grizzlies men's and women's basketball teams faced a tough challenge Saturday afternoon when they hosted the only teams undefeated in the entire OCAA in the Algonquin Thunder.

The Thunder came in and showed why they are the No. 2-ranked men's team in Canada jumping out to a 27-15 lead in the first quarter. After the tough start, Georgian regrouped and set the pace the rest of the game and started to chip away at the Thunder's lead to trail by just four points heading into the fourth quarter.

The final 10 minutes was as physical a match for either of the teams this season as both teams refused to give an inch. With a minute left in the game the Grizzlies had pulled within three points but that was as close as they could get with Algonquin holding on for a 70-65 victory.

Fifth-year veteran Njugana Waiganjo (Ottawa) had a game-high 31 points for the Thunder while Georgian's Teq Zwarych (Whitby) led the Grizzlies with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

The five-point win matches the smallest margin of victory for the Thunder this season whose average win is by over 26 points so far this season. Georgian also held the Thunder to their smallest point total this season and nearly were able to end their 15 game win streak.

The women's game was a one sided affair as the Grizzlies had no answers for the top ranked team in Ontario who controlled play early and never looked back as the Thunder rolled to a 79-42 victory, their 12th straight.

Claire Abbott (Whitehorse, Yuk.), Sandre Bascoe (Ottawa) and Jessica Basquin-Cetoute (Ottawa) all had double digits in points for the Thunder while Georgian's Summer Bly (Barrie) had another solid effort scoring a team-high 19 points and 15 rebounds.

The Grizzlies men's team will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they host La Cité Coyotes at 1 p.m. Both teams will also be in action next Friday, Jan. 31 when they host the Centennial Colts at the Georgian Athletic Centre with the women's game at 6 p.m. and the men's at 8 p.m.

Source: Georgian College