Scheduled Game: SIMON FRASER*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 3 4 T Simon Fraser 13 19 22 25 79 « FINAL Trinity Western 24 15 14 18 71

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Game Recap

Men's Basketball (Canada West)
Friday, October 24, 2008
TWU Spartans (71) vs. the Simon Fraser University Clan (79)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SHOCKER
-Wallis Goes Off as Clan drops Spartans in Season Opener

LANGLEY, British Columbia - Simon Fraser University's Greg Wallis (Victoria) scored a game high 32 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as the Clan sent the Spartan Faithful, who had packed out the David E. Enarson Gym, home in a sour mood Friday night as SFU dropped Trinity Western University 79-71 to spoil the Spartans home opener.

"It is the best time for this to happen to us. I feel really good about what our future is because it is an early wake up call where we have to pay attention to all of the small details, which is where we lost out tonight," said TWU head coach Scott Allen.

It was all Spartans to start the game. Spurred on by the capacity crowd TWU forward Jacob Doerksen (3rd year, Abbotsford, B.C.) came out flying. He finished the quarter with 12 points and two rebounds to pace the Spartans to an impressive 24-13 lead.

In the second quarter SFU started to chip away at the TWU lead. By the end of the first half it was a seven point game, with the Spartans in the lead 39-32.

As the start of the contest was all TWU, the third quarter was all SFU. The Clan dominated the game and by the end of the frame had outscored the Spartans 22-14 to take a one point lead, 54-53 in to the final ten minutes. "The amount of fouling that we did just took away our motivation to play defense and it got scrambly which took us out of our game plan," commented Allen on SFU's comeback.

From that point on it was a slugfest. Each team took turns trying to gain control, only to have the other comeback to tie or take the lead. The teams were tied or had a two point lead or less 17 times in the final 10 minutes. With just under four minutes remaining TWU guard Brian Banman (5th year, Kelowna, B.C.) hit a jumper to put the Spartans up 66-65. It would be the last time the home team would lead in the contest.

SFU took the lead for good when Frank Bradley (Bedford Heights, Ohio) hit a jumper in the paint and Gregory Gillies (Nanaimo, B.C.) hit a foul shot to give the Clan a 68-66 lead. After a Wallis foul shot made it a three point game the Spartans had an old fashioned three point play from Jamie Vaughan (5th year, Chilliwack, B.C.) to make it a tie game 69-69 with just over 2:30 remaining.

That's when it became the Greg Wallis show. The 6'7" forward, who scored 17 points in the final quarter, hit eight straight in the final two minutes to give the Clan the opener 79-71.

Doerksen, who had 16 points at the half, finished with 24 points and eight rebounds, Banman, who had 11 points at the half, finished with 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds and forward Vaughan who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds led the Spartans. In addition to Wallis the Clan were led by Sean Burke (North Vancouver, B.C.) with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists and Matt Kuzminski (Nanaimo, B.C.) with 11 points and seven rebounds.

There is no rest for the Spartans as next week they head to the University of British Columbia for two games against the Thunderbirds. The Clan will also be on the road as they head to Vancouver Island for two games against the Vikes.

Game Notes: Doerksen left the game for nearly three minute of clock time when he hit the floor hard and was cut over and around the right eye...the Spartans had the edge in rebounding 45-39...while the Clan dominated the foul line, out tripping the Spartans 22-34 to 8-11...

-TW-

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