LaPierre continues to spark Badgers
Noah LaPierre netted 20 points as Brock beat visiting Ontario Tech 98-56 Friday night.
Noah LaPierre’s offence continued to roll Friday night for the Brock Badgers men’s basketball team.
The 21-year-old Sudbury native scored 20 points in 14 minutes of playing time to lead Brock to a 98-56 victory over the visiting Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. The reigning Brock male athlete of the week was coming off a career-high 23 points during an 87-84 overtime victory versus the Western Mustangs on Jan. 15 and 20 points Jan. 18 during a 93-71 win over Windsor.
After Friday’s game, it was LaPierre’s defence that was receiving accolades from Brock head coach Willy Manigat.
“He is just defending and he is not a liability at the defensive end,” he said. “For him, a lot of it was just learning our new concepts in how we defend, changing his ways and learning the mechanics of what we do so it became second nature to him.
“Now you see the fruits of someone who is confident at both ends of the floor because he knows what he is doing out there.”
Manigat would like to see others follow the lead of the 5-foot-10 guard.
“Some guys it’s faster and some guys it’s slower and for Noah it is just clicking for him,” he said. “Hopefully the other guys it hasn’t clicked for yet can catch up and get to that stage.”
The third-year kinesiology student agrees defence has been his ticket to on-court success.
“My biggest hurdle to being a successful player at this level is on the defensive end because of my size,” he said. “However, if I can bring it on the defensive end, the offence is going to take care of itself, especially in the flow of our offence because there are a lot of open shots and easy buckets in transition.”
LaPierre knew he had to step up when his roommate Kascius Small-Martin, one of the team’s starting guards, broke his hand during a practice over the Christmas break.
“Since then, I have been inserted in the starting lineup and there are a lot of minutes to be had. That confidence the coaching staff has instilled in me has really helped me get there.”
LaPierre knows if he doesn’t bring it on the defensive end, he won’t be playing as much.
“That is the culture of our team,” he said. “It is defence first and we expect effort from all players one to 12. If you are not playing defence, you are not getting on the court. You have to earn it.”
LaPierre has enhanced his defensive abilities by altering his body type.
“I think I am a little more fit,” he said. “I have become more functional as an athlete.”
He credits strength and conditioning coach Steve Lidstone for that transformation.
He is already working on the next steps in his progression.
“I have to continue to work on my right hand and I feel I can evolve as a ball handler,” he said. “And I want to shoot 50 per cent from three. I am at 40 per cent right now.”
Friday’s game versus Ontario Tech (1-14) was a good chance for Manigat to give his bench and extended look.
“There’s only a certain amount of games you get to play and whether it’s a practice or a game, I am just coaching my guys,” he said. “We have a long way to go and we are trying to build a program.
“Blowout or not, guys get an opportunity and the guys who ended the game if they can get some confidence from this and learn from their mistakes and move forward, we can get deeper as a team.”
Former St. Francis star Tyrell MacLennan got 17 minutes of floor time to show his stuff and he did just that. He was 6-for-9 from the floor for 13 points.
“We are trying to build a program and he works hard in practice,” Manigat said. “He came in there and did what he is capable of doing.”
Brock improved to 9-6 with the victory.
STATS PACK
Badgers 98 Ridgebacks 56
BPSN Star of the Game: Brock’s Noah LaPierre with 22 points in 14 minutes of playing time.
For the Brock Badgers: Daniel Caldwell 23; LaPierre 22; Tyrell MacLennan 13; Godsman Kwakwah 10
For the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks: Ammar Hassan 13; A.J Cummings 11.
Game stats: Field goal percentage: Brock 48.9, Ontario Tech 35.7. Free throws: Brock 8-13, Ontario Tech 9-17. Rebounds: Brock 44, Ontario Tech 25. Turnovers: Brock 12, Ontario Tech 22.
Up next: Brock hosts Queen’s (8-6) Saturday at 8 p.m.
