Box Score

LETHBRIDGE – In a decisively offensively oriented match up, all five starters for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s basketball team notched double figures to run to a 99-90 victory over the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves Friday night at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre. After a blazing 35-30 first quarter, the ‘Horns held the lead until three and half minutes left to play when the Timberwolves went up by one. However, the ‘Horns withstood the charge with some key plays down the stretch to push their record up to 4-3 on the season, even with the Timberwolves.

Fifth-year Derek Waldner led all scorers with 26 points, also pulling down 17 rebounds for the impressive double-double. Picture Butte product Logan Reiter added 20 and fourth year guard Morgan Duce put in 16 and distributed eight assists. On the losing side, Humber College transfer Jose Araujo made good on 5-9 from three to finish with 19 points.

Coming off of a losing weekend against the University of Alberta where strength of defense proved to be paramount, it seems counterintuitive to essentially ignore that facet of the game, but ‘Horns head coach Dave Adams provided a method to the scoring madness. “Coming in I knew they were an extremely talented team and we were going to run into defensive problems so we just went out to play southern Alberta basketball and push the ball and get into the high 90s, low 100s range,” said Adams. “They also have more post-secondary experience than us with four fifth years and I knew they would make a late charge. Our guys could have folded with three minutes to go, but they didn’t; they held their composure and did what it took to win.”

The late charge that Adams spoke of came with 3:30 left to play, when Timberwolves guard Francis Rowe converted an old fashioned three point play to put his team up 90-89. But Duce responded with a base line jumper to regain the lead for the ‘Horns—a lead they would not relinquish for the duration of the game. Offensive rebounds proved to be key in the last few minutes with the ‘Horns capitalizing on second chance points. With the score 93-90, Duce was fouled on a shot from beyond the arc and cashed in on all three free throw attempts to put the ‘Horns up 96-90. A steal by Duce on a fast break attempt by the Timberwolves sealed the win for the home team.

With the win, the ‘Horns move back above the 500 mark with a 4-3 record, while the Timberwolves fall to the same 4-3 record.

The ‘Horns face another CIS newcomer tomorrow night in the Mount Royal Cougars with the tip off at 8 pm. The Timberwolves move on to play the University of Calgary Dinos at 7. As always, games will be webcast on canadawest.tv.