Jarred Reid scores 31 points to give Tigers their first win of the season.
After a disappointing overtime loss to the UPEI Panthers in their home opener, the Tigers redeemed themselves the next day with a convincing 93-84 victory to start the season 1-1.
The Tigers, who finished their season out of the playoff picture last year with a 6-14 record, entered their home opener with high spirits and intensity. Kashrell Lawrence and Sven Stammberger led the way for Dalhousie early on, scoring 14 of the team’s 16 first quarter points. At the half, the Tigers were up 35-31.
It was very much back and forth over the next two quarters with UPEI’s Ellis Ffrench sinking timely baskets and Lawrence carrying much of the load for the Tigers.
The Panthers were outdueling the Tigers in the final minutes of the game until first-year. Sean Dodds came up big with a three-pointer with only 11 seconds remaining to tie the game at 82 and send it to overtime.
The Tigers’ inability to keep out of foul trouble resulted in the Panthers converting on eight of nine attempts from the free throw line to push UPEI to a 95-88 victory.
The next game, the Tigers once again came out with guns blazing. This time, however, Dal’s Jarred Reid took over. Reid exploded in the first quarter, surpassing his point total from the night before by scoring 14 and making four shots from beyond the arc. Reid, who had a game and career-high 31 points, was named the player of the game.
Though the second contest was once again evenly matched, the Tigers were able to hold onto the slight lead for the majority of the game. Things started to come together in the fourth, as they extended their lead to nine points with just over three minutes to play. And there was no turning back from there. Dal played sound defense over the final minutes of the game to notch their first win of the season.
Dal enters the regular season as an inexperienced unit, with only John Traboulsi in his fourth year of eligibility. Traboulsi, who started in 14 games last season and registered an average of nine points per game, will not be back in the lineup until after the holiday break as he is recovering from knee surgery.
There are seven Tigers who enter the season without any Atlantic University Sport (AUS) experience. Head coach Rick Plato hopes the new-look Tigers will establish an early connection on the floor so they will have the opportunity to compete for the AUS crown this time around.
Dal is looking to earn four big points during their first road trip of the season, as they take on Memorial Nov. 15 and 16. The Seahawks started their season 0-2 after back-to-back loses to the CIS sixth-ranked Cape Breton Capers.
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