Plenty of tension as Ticats maul Lions

HAMILTON — Brandon Banks and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats felt disrespected and took it out on the B.C. Lions.

Banks caught two of Jeremiah Masoli’s three first-half touchdown passes as Hamilton captured an emotionally charged 40-10 Canadian Football League win over B.C. on Saturday afternoon. There was plenty of tension between the two teams after Lions players danced on the Ticats’ centre-field logo during their walk-through Friday.

Banks, Masoli and linebacker Simoni Lawrence were among the Hamilton players who felt disrespected by the Lions, who contended they meant nothing by it. Banks, Lawrence and linebacker Larry Dean all voiced their displeasure to B.C. players and Banks got into some verbal sparring with opposing receiver DeVier Posey.

The situation got so testy that head referee Andre Proulx issued a warning to B.C.’s bench in the first half.

“You don’t disrespect us unless you coming here ready to dominate us and obviously that didn’t happen,” Banks said. “It’s all about respect in this game.

Banks was a key figure for Hamilton (7-7), which earned its first win in three games. The five-foot-seven, 155-pound Banks had nine catches for 79 yards and two TDs after missing two games with a groin injury, delighting the announced Tim Hortons

Field sellout of 23,623.

“He’s our playmaker,” Masoli said of Banks. “Besides that, he brings a lot to the huddle on the field.

“Just his presence kind of gives us some mojo, gives us some juice.”