Scheduled Game: SIMON FRASER*

73

GAME RESULTS 1 2 T SFU Clan 37 36 73 TWU Spartans 44 42 86 « FINAL

86

Game Recap

Men's Basketball (Conference game)
Friday, November 29, 2003
TWU Spartans (86) vs. the SFU Clan (73)

The Rivalry Continues...

Langley, British Columbia - In their first meeting since last spring's high-drama Pacific Division playoff series, the passion was still evident in the play and on the faces of the players on both the TWU and SFU men's basketball squads tonight. Once again it was the hometown Spartans who came out on top, taking the 86-73 win and some momentum into tomorrow night's rematch.

Tonight was the Spartans' first regular season home game with their entire starting lineup (mostly) healthy. Logan Kitteringham made his return to the court last weekend at the University of Victoria and while Dan Young is still under the weather healthwise, he was able to play tonight and make a solid contribution.

Logan made his presence felt immediately, dishing an assist to Dan ten seconds into the game for the easy lay-in and two-point lead. The play remained quite close for the first eight minutes of the half, with each team grabbing the lead but not able to jump ahead by any significant amount.

Then TWU went on an 8-1 run beginning in the eighth minute to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the half, although SFU managed to close within one point on a three by Pasha Bains with two minutes remaining. The half ended with Kitteringham once again asserting himself, this time with a steal and a lay-in to extend his team's lead to 44-37 going into the break.

The Spartan defense turned it up a notch in the second half, smothering any hope SFU had of making a comeback, while extending their lead to as many as 18 points more than once in the half. Two steals in less than 20 seconds early on in the half, resulting in four easy points, set the tone and completely halted any offensive momentum SFU had, putting Trinity Western up 54-44.

SFU also displayed some quick hands in the second half, with John Boateng making two consecutive thefts in the dying seconds of the game, but it was too little too late. The Clan defense just could not slow down a Spartan offense that was shooting the lights out in the second half.

Indeed, the Spartan men seemed to have solved their shooting troubles, hitting 51.9% from the field tonight, compared to SFU's 36.7%. Pasha Bains led the Clan with 26 points, while also adding 1 rebound, 2 assists and 2 steals. Jon Lundgren also had 26 points, on 46% shooting, as well as 7 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals.

"Tonight we finally played 40 minutes of Spartan basketball, playing strong in both halves," commented Coach Stan Peters. "We stuck to our [game plan] and defended them like we needed to. Lundgren, Young and [Adam] Friesen had great performances, and I think the tandem of [Brian] Banman and [David] Martens on Pasha, pressuring him, had a significant impact on the game. The challenge for tomorrow night is can we mentally get ready to do it again and repeat the things we know we need to."

The men's rematch takes place at David E. Enarson Gymnasium tomorrow night (Saturday) at 8:00pm following the women's game.

Game Notes: The Spartans continue to vacuum the boards, out-rebounding the Clan 32-23 tonight...TWU had five players in double figures: Adam (19), Dan (13), Brian (13), and Logan (11), along with Jon's 26...SFU's Chad Clifford had 16 points and 5 rebounds...Brian Banman shot 100% from everywhere tonight (3-3 from the field, 2-2 from 3pt, and 5-5 from the line)...

-TW-

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