Scheduled Game: SASKATCHEWAN*

101

GAME RESULTS 1 2 T Saskatchwan 47 54 101 « FINAL Trinity Western 41 59 100

100

Game Recap

Men’s Basketball (Canada West)
Friday, January 19, 2007
SASK (101) TWU (100)

ANOTHER CLOSE GAME FOR THE SPARTANS
TWU runs out of time in comeback against Saskatchewan
   
LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western University Spartans (8-9) battled hard in the last six minutes of the game and almost completed a 16-point comeback for the victory, but the University of Saskatchewan Huskies (10-5) held on for a 101-100 win.  Brian Banman (4th year, Kelowna, B.C.) scored 9 of his 26 in the last two minutes of the game, but it just wasn’t enough.

“I thought that we waited until we were down 13 with seven minutes to go to generate the energy.  What disappointed me tonight was at the start of the second half, we didn’t have the energy that we needed for the full twenty,” TWU Head Coach Stan Peters commented after the close loss.  “We just relied on the last six minutes again, and that’s a bad habit and we have got to get out of that.  If we are going to make any kind of run down the stretch here we need 12 guys, and we are not getting the energy and contribution that we need from the bench right now.”

In fact, the Spartans scored 24 of their 59 second-half points in the final five minutes.

“We work at execution down the stretch every week,“ said Peters.  “It’s just disappointing that we can’t generate that energy right now for the full 20 minutes of the second half, but our kids battle, and I never want to take away from that, and we are going to keep battling and fight through this.”

The first half was a battle to gain control of the game, but neither team could maintain a lead of any significance.  The Spartans went up by ten (31-21) at the 9:14 mark after a three by Michael Erickson (3rd, Aldergrove, S.K.).  The Huskies went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 33, then eventually took the lead 42-39 after three baskets from long range on consecutive possessions.  The half finished out with the Huskies on top 47-41.

In the beginning of the second, the Spartans narrowed in on the Huskies and back-and-forth play continued until Sam Lamontagne (Regina, S.K.) provided a spark for the visiting team, hitting two threes to inspire a 17-6 Husky run.

The Spartans began to battle their way back from an 85-69 deficit with eight and a half minutes left.  With just over five minutes to go in the game, the it was TWU still down nine, but they were battling, driving, kicking, and rebounding in the offensive end.  A steal by the Huskies led to a breakaway lay-up by Rejean Chabot (Saskatoon, S.K.) and it seemed as though they would pull away again.

The game continued to go back and forth, as it had all game long.  Two missed lay-ups by Saskatchewan gave the Spartans a chance to get within six, but another costly turnover left Kyle Grant (Moose Jaw, S.K.) with another breakaway conversion for the Huskies and the scoreboard read 90-82.

Jon Schmidt (4th, Rosedale, B.C.) hit two from the stripe followed by a Husky turnover that led to a driving lay-up by Schmidt cut the lead to 90-86.  Forward Andrew Spadgrud (Saskatoon, S.K.) made a shot in the key with 1:52 remaining, but Brian Banman answered with a quick three to make the score 92-89.

Grant went two-for-two from the line, and stole the ball on the ensuing possession, leading to another lay-up in the open court for Chabot.

Luke Robinson (4th, Ahousat, B.C.) finished a three-point play to bring the score to 97-94 Huskies with 35 seconds remaining, and Kyle Grant answered on the very next play with a made basket plus the foul, making it a six-point game. 

Banman converted on a quick-stepped-runner from outside the arc with 13 seconds on the clock to make the score 100-97.  A quick foul sent Saskatchewan’s fourth year guard Jordan Harbidge (Saskatoon, S.K) to the free-throw line, and he hit one of two.

Down by four, Banman took a quick three for the Spartans and missed, but the rebound came back out and the ball was back in Banman’s hands.  This time, he converted on a three, but Saskatchewan was careful not to foul, and as the ball went through the mesh, it was the Huskies by one.

Chabot led the Huskies with 26 points, seven assists, and four steals.  Spagrud recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Grant contributed 20 points to go with five assists.

For the Spartans, it was Banman with 26 points and five rebounds, while Joe Vroom (2nd, Abbotsford, B.C.) chipped in with 16 points and four rebounds.  Michael Erickson and Luke Robinson each had 13 for the Spartans.

The Spartan men face the University of Alberta tomorrow night at 8:00 pm.

Game Notes: Three-pointers TWU (7-26) SASK (11-20)...FT% TWU (94.4) SASK (77.8)...TO’s TWU (21) SASK (29)...O-Rebounds TWU (16) SASK (7)...FG% TWU (51.4) SASK (55.6)...FTA TWU (17-18) SASK (28-36)...

-TW-

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