The Redeemer Royals are back in action Friday night as the programs hit the court for their first league games of 2019. Redeemer Women's and Men's Basketball will host the Niagara Knights, with opening tip-off scheduled for 6:00pm.
The Redeemer Women's Basketball team enters 2019 having won 4 of their last 6 games. Redeemer capped off 2018 with an emphatic win against the Lambton Lions 71-47 and will look to take the momentum into Friday's contest. The win against the Lions was a huge step towards the playoffs for the Royals as Lambton was 4 spots ahead of them in the standings.
Niagara currently sits one spot ahead of Redeemer with an overall record of 5-6. Niagara stumbled towards the end of the first half of the season, losing 2 straight to Fanshawe and Sheridan.
The Knights are 3-3 on the road, while Redeemer has struggled at home, posting a 1-3 record.
On the men's side, Friday's matchup will see two of the leagues top teams do battle, with the winner propelling themselves ahead of the loser. Both the Knights and Royals sit with identical 8-3 records. Redeemer is one of the hottest teams in the Country, going 7-1 since the beginning of November, losing just once, to the top ranked Humber Hawks on the road. Niagara has been more inconsistent heading into the break, winning 3 of their last 5, losing to the St. Clair Saints and Fanshawe Falcons, but defeating the 8-3 Sheridan Bruins.
Niagara has been exceptional on the road with a 5-1 record while the Royals are a perfect 4-0 at home.
Like the start of the 2nd semester, Redeemer's first games of the first semester were against the Niagara Knights. Redeemer opened the 2018-19 campaign on the road and dropped both matches to the home squad.
In a spectacular match to open the women's basketball season, the Royals and Knights went to overtime with Niagara coming out on top. The Royals looked to have the game locked up, before the Knights erased a 21-point deficit to force overtime. The home team outscored Redeemer 10-6 in overtime for the 83-79 win. Redeemer will be looking to change the script Friday night in round two of the matchup.
In the men's game, the Knights led early and never looked back en-route to a 108-93 victory. Redeemer's
Elijah Lostracco had a team-high 15 points for the Royals while Livingston Bromwell had a game-high 21 points for the Knights.
Redeemer Royals
W -
Tobie Brinkman
16.7 PPG
11.9 REB/G
M -
Spencer Kerssies
12.4 REB/G
16.9 PPG
Niagara Knights
W - Bridget Atkinson
15.7 PPG
4.2 STL/G
M - Van Hutchinson Jr.
24.5 PPG
11.3 REB/G
You can catch the action live at www.RedeemerRoyals.ca/watch. The Women's match gets underway at 6:00pm with the Men's game following at 8:00pm.
