A “street fight” is how referee Sean Glanville described Wednesday evening’s first of two men’s league basketball games between the Black Foresters and Team Red.
With the lead swinging back and forth throughout the majority of the contest, the game came to an end at the final buzzer when Team Red’s Willie Hardeman put up a massive block on the Black Foresters’ Travis Nystoruk to leave the battle unsettled in a 54-54 standstill — the first tie of the season.
Black Foresters guard Rory Fogarty erupted for 25, including six three pointers, to lead all scorers.
Hardeman led Team Red dropping 20.
In the nightcap the Black Foresters, playing in their second tilt of the evening, faced off against Team Blue.
The game was a one-point affair after one quarter, before Blue began heating up to surge to a 15-point lead by the half.
High school player Mokam Mahil led the way for Blue with 13 points in the first half.
The Foresters, however, weren’t about to lay down without a fight.
With their lethal combination of strong defence and rebounding, managed to cut the deficit to eight, but that is as close as they would get.
Blue went on to score 13 unanswered points, including a throw-down by George Chilongo, putting Blue on top for the remainder of the game in a final score of 75-43.
Chilongo led the way for Blue with 29 points, while Fogarty, again, led all scorers for the Foresters with 23.
The Williams Lake Men’s Basketball League runs in two eight-week sessions — one in the spring and one in the winter.
League president Martin Kruus said the league houses three competitive teams this year.
“It’s pretty close,” he said. “The games are extremely competitive.”
He invites anyone wanting to join the league to come out to Lake City Secondary School’s Columneetza Campus Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. to play.
“Anybody that wants to play should just come and try,” he said. “It’s not too late — you just have to sign a waiver. Everyone’s always welcome.”
The league is currently winding down with two more weeks of league play, before playoffs take place on March 15.
Kruus also thanked SportCheck for a recent donation of basketballs and a pump to the league through its community recreation sport fund.