Box Score
Abbotsford - Down as many as 15 points in the opening half, the Lethbridge Pronghorns rallied to take Game One of the Canada West quarterfinal best of three series with a 87-78 victory over the Fraser Valley Cascades.

The win is the first post-season win for the ‘Horns in 10 years. The ‘Horns last won a playoff game February 12, 2002 defeating the Saskatchewan Huskies 86-82 in Saskatoon.

Guard Daryl Cooper led the way for the Pronghorns with a game high 25 points, while fellow guard Morgan Duce added 18 points. Big men Dominyc Coward and Derek Waldner added 14 and 13 points respectively.

For the Cascades Kyle Grewal led the way with 22 points and Sheldon Bjorgaard added 15 points in the losing cause.

The tell tale stat for the ‘Horns tonight was their ability to get to the line and make good on their shots from the charity stripe. A 68.8% free throw shooting team in conference play was able to hit 27 of 37 from the line, including 19 of 25 attempts in the second half. Conversely the Cascades, who were the second best free throw shooting team in the conference, struggled mightily from the line tonight and hit on only 13 of 26.

Hosting their first ever Canada West playoff game, the Cascades stormed out of the gates. They lead 18-9 after the opening quarter and built a 30-15 lead just shy of midway point of the second quarter. Duce hit a three to kick start a 15-to-6 run to close out the half and close the Cascades lead to 6 at the break.

Picking off where they left off, Cooper opened the second half with a three to cut the lead in half and set up a wild back and forth third quarter. Sheldon Bjorgaard hit a three pointer to give UFV the 60-57 lead with six seconds left in the third quarter, but Lethbridge was not to be out done tonight as Dominyc Coward hit a three pointer at the buzzer to end the game into the final quarter tied at 60. 

The fourth quarter was a nail bitter as both teams made key shots to keep the game tied until midway through the final quarter when the ‘Horns opened up a six point lead.  The Cascades fought back and with less than one minute to go Sam Freeman missed a layup that would have tied the game.  On the next possession Coward hit another key three point basket that clinched the road win.

“I am so proud of our guys tonight,” said head coach Dave Adams. “they exhibited great poise and courage to bounce back from a 15 point deficit and beat a very good team tonight.”

Game two of the best of three series goes tomorrow night at 8:00pm at the Envision Athletic Centre in Abbotsford. The game can also be viewed at www.canadawest.tv, the home of all Canada West webcasts.