EDMONTON – The Pronghorns' season came to an end with a 71-46 loss to the Alberta Pandas in the Canada West Quarterfinals Saturday evening at the Saville Centre.
Alberta's defence proved to be a challenge for the Horns, as they forced a remarkable 30 turnovers and held the rebounding battle to a tie at 48-48, despite Lethbridge being the second-best rebounding team in the conference. The Pronghorns struggled with their shooting, finishing the game at just 29.5% from the field. Alberta also had shooting difficulties, converting only 32.4% of their attempts, but it was their relentless defence that ultimately paved the way for their victory. Lethbridge's Kyra Collier led the team with 11 points and 10 rebounds, earning a double-double, but was unable to provide enough offensive spark to keep the game competitive.
The game started with Alberta pushing the tempo, taking an early 10-3 lead and forcing the Horns to call a timeout. The Pandas' defence locked down on the Pronghorns, limiting them to just 10 points in the first quarter while forcing 12 turnovers. While the Pandas capitalized on only 13 points off the turnovers, their defensive pressure was relentless, keeping the Pronghorns from finding any rhythm. By the end of the first quarter, Alberta held a comfortable 21-10 lead, with Claire Signatovich pacing all scorers with seven points.
In the second quarter, Alberta continued to build on their lead, frustrating Lethbridge with a defensive effort that held them without a field goal for the first 4:18 of the period. Alberta's offensive firepower also came alive in the second frame, with Jayden Tanner hitting three three-pointers and contributing defensively with a steal and a free throw. The Pandas stretched their lead to 41-25 at halftime. Tanner led all scorers with 14 points at the break, followed by Signatovich with 11. Lethbridge's Kyra Collier was the lone bright spot for the Pronghorns, scoring seven points in the first half, but the Pronghorns could not find a way to break through Alberta's defence. The Pandas forced 17 turnovers in the first half, and outscored Lethbridge 18-1 on the fastbreak, further widening the gap.
The third quarter saw Lethbridge improve defensively, limiting the Pandas to just 15.8% shooting from the field. However, despite the defensive improvement, the Horns struggled to make up ground offensively. They managed to tie the quarter 10-10, but still found themselves down by 16 points entering the final frame. Lethbridge's defence had improved, but they were unable to capitalize on their efforts with consistent scoring.
In the fourth quarter, Alberta put any potential Pronghorns comeback to rest with a quick 13-3 run. Tanner contributed six points in the final quarter, including four from the free-throw line, to help the Pandas maintain control of the game and secure the victory. Despite a valiant defensive effort from the Pronghorns, Alberta's quick start, and consistent defensive pressure proved too much to overcome.
The Pronghorns' season ended with an overall record of 11-11, as the Pronghorns could not overcome the dominant play from the Pandas. With the loss, the Pronghorns look to regroup and prepare for the future, building on their strengths as they enter the offseason.
