WELLAND, ON - Redeemer men's basketball (1-4) visited the Niagara (2-4) Knights Saturday afternoon. The Knights have had a shaky start to the season, similar to the Royals. However, Niagara picked up a notable win over the St.Clair Saints last weekend and hoped to carry that momentum into their match against the Royals.
Redeemer looked to bounce back from their midweek loss to the No. 1 team in the country, the Humber Hawks. Royals guard
Parker Davis would need to be a key factor in the Royals success. Davis leads the league in points per game, 25.6.
Saturday's match did not go as planned for the Royals. Redeemer fell behind early, losing the first quarter 26–18. However, they chipped into the lead over the next two quarters, coming out on top in both. Entering the fourth, Redeemer had trimmed the deficit to just five, but Niagara responded with a strong final frame to pull away and seal a 92–71 win. The Royals never led in the game.
A key difference came on the glass, where the Knights' rebounding advantage turned into major second-chance production. Niagara scored 18 second-chance points compared to Redeemer's 3, which ultimately shaped the outcome. Despite the discrepancy on the boards, Redeemer matched Niagara's shooting efficiency from the field, keeping themselves within striking distance for much of the night.
A standout performance for the Royals came from fourth-year guard
Gabriel Della Foresta, who delivered a career-high 22 points. He added five rebounds and an assist while knocking down five three-pointers to help fuel Redeemer's push through the middle quarters.
For all things Royals, follow us on Instagram @redeemerroyals.