Scheduled Game: @British Columbia - PACIFIC DIVISION SEMI-FINAL

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T Trinity Western 24 38 62 UBC 43 46 89 « FINAL

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Game Recap

Men’s Basketball (Canada West Playoffs)
Friday, February 16, 2007
TWU Spartans (62) at the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (89)

SPARTANS DOWN ONE AFTER PLAYOFF OPENER

VANCOUVER – Luke Robinson’s (Ahousat, B.C.) strong effort on Saturday night against the top team in the Pacific Division, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, was not enough as the Spartans fell 62-89 in the first game of a best of three playoff series at the War Memorial Gymnasium. Senior Casey Archibald (Salmon Arm, B.C.) led the home team to an 89-62 win over the visiting Trinity Western University Spartans.

“Basically it came down to the fact that we didn’t handle the ball very well. Twenty-eight turnovers really cost us dearly,” said TWU Head Coach Stan Peters following the loss, but furthered those comments with positive aspects of Saturday’s performance.  “I was very proud of our guys, the way we just kept battling and battling and battling, we never stopped, never gave up, never made excuses. We’ll get ready and we’ll be ready to battle tomorrow,” Peters assured.

TWU struggled from the field and were unable to get easy baskets as UBC handled their pressure early on in the contest. The Thunderbirds managed a lead for the majority of the game due in part to a lack of pressure placed on them by the Spartan attack.

It was a tough night for TWU’s Brian Banman (Kelowna, B.C.). Smothered by the Thunderbirds’ defense most of the game, he finished with just five points on one for eleven shooting. As an intricate piece to a pungent Spartan offense that averages a Canada West high, 84.9 points per game, a struggling Banman means a struggling Spartan offense, which was evident tonight. Luke Robinson played a solid game for TWU with 18 points and four rebounds, but the team as a whole had a difficult time scoring, especially early on.

The Spartans led 5-2 in the first half when Robinson hit a three 1:23 into the game. The Thunderbirds took the lead, 6-5, moments later though, when Archibald scored a lay-up in transition. UBC never looked back after that, reaching their largest lead of 38 points late in the second half.

The Spartans were held to just 24 points in the first half, Robinson the main contributor with 12.  UBC seemed to push TWU out of their offense, forcing contested shots and taking away open looks for Banman.

The Thunderbirds looked very poised against a pressuring Spartan team and took good care of the ball, making only 23 turnovers, but limiting those 23 to the kind that didn’t result in transition baskets for their opponent.

Despite struggling, the Spartan team worked hard within their style of play. A positive sign came from the strong play of first year post, Lance Verhoeff (Calgary).

“I thought Lance Verhoeff had an outstanding game for a freshman in his first playoff game,” Coach Peters commented.

UBC’s Casey Archibald led all scorers with 27 points, while senior Jason Birring (Richmond, B.C.) added 15 points on six for ten shooting along with six steals, and third year Bryson Kool (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) chipped in with 14 points.

In addition to Robinson TWU first year teammate Lance Verhoeff scored seven points and collected eight rebounds.

Facing elimination, the run-and-gun Spartans will battle the Thunderbirds in the second game of the best of three series at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night at UBC.

Game Notes:  FG%: UBC (50.8%), TWU (29.8%)...Assists: UBC (19) TWU (7)...

-TW-

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