Box Score
Lethbridge– The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s basketball team was hoping for a steep learning curve this year. Entering the season with only five returning players, the first half of the season has been marked by trial, error, and adjustments for the ‘Horns, but tonight, they may have found a strategy to keep. The ‘Horns grounded the high-flying University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, handing them their first loss of the season in a battle that ended in a 90-80 victory for the home team.
The ‘Horns ball movement and pace spread out their scoring, with third year guard
Morgan Duce leading the team with 17, 11 of them falling in a pivotal two and a half minute stretch in the third quarter. Former Lethbridge College teammate Dom Coward added another 14, nabbed four steals, and pulled down nine boards, while fourth year post
Derek Waldner, as well as California natives,
Daryl Cooper and
Alex Fletcher each chipped in 11.
UBC senior guard Nathan Yu lead all scorers with 36 points, dropping eight three-pointers and surpassing his 21 ppg average that placed him fourth in scoring for Canada West. Doug Plumb added another 10, while Balraj Bains and Kamar Burke each notched nine rebounds.
The ‘Horns kept pace with the number four-ranked T-Birds in the first half, pressing on defense and pushing the tempo on offense, but forfeited a 10 point first quarter lead to end the first half in a 44-45 deadlock. The third quarter continued much the same way, the teams remaining within five points of each other and ending once again in a one-point differential. The new look of the ‘Horns proved to be key to their eventual control in the fourth, using their depth and tempo to their advantage in outlasting the T-Birds. The ‘Horns still had the legs to come up with crucial blocks, rebounds, and finishes down the stretch, highlighted by an Alex Fletcher steal that translated into a Dom Coward dunk with three minutes left to play, pushing their lead to five.
“We came to practice on Monday and totally changed our style and offense. We decided that we are going to run. That’s going to be our game,” Duce recalled. The ‘Horns also amped up the pressure on defense, their press and aggressiveness netting 15 steals as a team. “I think we lost (Yu) sometimes because we were switching between man and zone defenses so often, but down the stretch I think he lost his legs because we ran so much,” said Duce. “I think our win really came down to all-around teamwork. It was a really great atmosphere to play in tonight and we had some really great moments. I think it really sends a message that we are a legitimate team.”
The Pronghorns will look to have more of those moments tomorrow night as they face the sixth-ranked University of Victoria Vikes, hoping to hand them their first conference loss of the season as well. They will tip off at 8 pm, following the women’s game, while UBC will travel north to face the University of Calgary Dinos. As always, the game will be webcast on canadawest.tv.
