Gameday in 5

A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Oct. 31-Nov. 6) — for London’s teams and athletes.

Jermaine Haley Jr. (13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists for the London Lightning in 2022) was invited to camp — and made the opening night roster — for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA’s G League. (Photo: Luke Durda).

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London Knights

The Knights split their two games last week. Things didn’t get off to a good start Friday, as London lost 6-3 to the Erie Otters at Budweiser Gardens. After a scoreless first period, the Otters scored two goals in the first four minutes of the second to take a lead. Defenceman Logan Mailloux brought the Knight to within a goal, but the Otters responded and held a 3-1 lead heading into the third. The Knights put up two goals in the final frame, including Mailloux’s second of the night and Oliver Bonk’s third of the season, but the Otters scored three goals of their own in the period to earn the 6-3 win.

After a tough loss Friday, the Knights bounced back on Saturday and beat the first-place Owen Sound Attack 4-1 on the road. Down 1-0 early in the first, the Knights responded quickly with a Jackson Edward goal (assists to Bonk and Sean McGurn). Max McCue then scored twice in a 4-minute span to give London a 3-1 lead. The Knights held Owen Sound scoreless for the remainder of the game, while Easton Cowan added a goal in the third to put the game away for London.

Up next:

The Knights (6-6-1-0), who remain in third place in the Midwest division entering heading into a new week, will play three games in three days this weekend, including home games on Friday and Sunday.

Fri. Nov. 11 (7:00pm vs. Barrie Colts)
Sat. Nov. 12 (7:05pm @ Windsor Spitfires)
Sun. Nov. 13 (2:00pm vs. Soo Greyhounds)

Western Mustangs

The Mustangs’ football team is moving on to the Yates Cup — impressively, for the seventh straight season. Western beat the Laurier Golden Hawks, 45-9, on Saturday in an OUA semi-final game that earned them a trip to the provincial championship game.

The Mustangs got off to a slow start but they certainly finished strong. Ahead just 14-9 at halftime, they racked up 31 points in the second half to cruise to the semi-final win. With high winds, the game was won on the ground. Lead back Keon Edwards logged 138 yards on 24 carries and ran in a pair of touchdowns (Edouard Wanadi, Troy Thompson and Jackson White also had rushing scores on the day). Quarterback Evan Hillock finished the day 12 for 19 for 139 yards. Savaughn Magnaye-Jones hauled in 7 passes for 93 yards.

Western’s defense came up big all day, holding Laurier to just 189 yards and forcing four turnovers. In fact, they sparked a 17-point third quarter, as all three scores were tallied after Laurier turnovers in the own end. Fumble recoveries by Malcolm Hinds, John Pantazopoulos (on a kickoff) and Jordan Beland led to touchdowns by Wanadi and Edwards and a field goal by Brian Garrity, which built up a 31-9 Western lead after three quarters.

Up next:

The Mustangs (9-0 overall) will now host the Queen’s Gaels (9-1) at Western Alumni Stadium in a rematch of last year’s Yates Cup (Western won that one, 29-0, on the road in Kingston). Queen’s won their semi-final game Saturday over Ottawa, 35-13.

Sat. Nov. 12 (1:00pm vs. Queen’s Gaels) (OUA Final - Yates Cup)

London Nationals

The Nationals, uncharacteristically, had a tough week and lost both of their games. It started with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Leamington Flyers on Wednesday. Down 1-0 after the first period, the Nationals scored four times in the second (Rylan Bowers, Owen McGowan, Ryan Roobroeck, Brayden Thomas). Thomas’s goal, with two minutes left in the period, made it 4-2 London at the time. But a quick response before the period ended, and then a goal in the third for Leamington tied things and sent the game into overtime, where the Flyers won it just 17 seconds in on Connor Macpherson’s third of the game.

Saturday’s game was a lower-scoring affair, but it also resulted in a loss for London, this time 3-2 at the hands of the Strathroy Rockets. The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the first, thanks to an Eddie Maclean goal, and then Rylan Bowers doubled the lead in the second. But everything fell apart in the third for London, as they allowed three unanswered Rockets goals. Dylan Richter scored twice, including the winner.

Up next:

The Nationals (14-2-1-1) remain in top spot in the Western Conference, five points ahead of Leamington and the St. Marys Lincolns entering the weekthe new week. They’ll look to get back in the win column with a pair of games on the slate.

Wed. Nov. 9 (7:00pm vs. St. Marys Lincolns)
Sat. Nov. 12 (7:15pm @ Komoka Kings)

London Lightning

A trio of players from the 2022 Lightning championship team earned invitations to NBA G League training camps in recent weeks, including: Mareik Isom to the Texas Legends camp (affiliate of Dallas Mavericks); Jermaine Haley Jr. to Cleveland Charge camp (Cleveland Cavaliers affiliate); and Amir Williams to the Motor City Cruise training camp (Detroit Pistons affiliate).

Last week, it was announced that Haley Jr. had made the opening night roster for the Cleveland Charge. “London helped me find myself as a player again,” Haley told the Lightning. “I will never forget my time there.”