Huskies shoot to OT win over Kodiaks
After surrendering a large lead earlier in the game, the Keyano Huskies used a last-second layup to force OT and then persevered for a 96-93 win in the fifth place game of the CORA 2018 ACAC Men's Basketball Championships.
March 3, 2018 - The Keyano Huskies came into the Cora Breakfast and Lunch 2018 Men’s Basketball Championship as underdogs. But they showed their bite is as big as their bark, chomping the fifth-place game away from the host Lethbridge College Kodiaks. Both teams looked on the verge of victory at various points in the game, but it was the Huskies (16-11) that triumphed in overtime, 96-93 over the Kodiaks (14-10).
Beginning a trend that would continue throughout the first half, the Huskies were hot from beyond the arc in the first quarter. Chris Oppong (fourth year, Education Assistant, Toronto) and Jack Redden (third year, University Studies, Quesnel, B.C.) both hit for three back-to-back as part of a 10-0 run that put Keyano up by nine. With the lead into double digits in the second quarter, Keyano continued to fire from long range, with Dante Dinter (first year, Business Administration, Tofield, Alta.) and Stefan Jovcic (first year, University Studies, Mississauga, Ont.) connecting for threes just 27 seconds apart. Keyano shot an incredible 8-for-13 on threes in the first half to lead by as many as 19. But 10-straight points by Lethbridge to close the half, including four by Keanu Funa (second year, Business Administration, Lethbridge) who had 16 in the first half alone, closed the Huskies lead to 45-36 at the break.
In the third quarter, the host Kodiaks picked right up where they left off, continuing to drive the lane for baskets. A 13-2 run was capped by a highlight reel offensive rebound and tip-in by Cody Chipman (first year, General Studies, Magrath) as the Kodiaks stormed all the way back to take the lead, outscoring Keyano 27-17 in the quarter. In the fourth, a Grady Taylor (fourth year, General Studies, Magrath, Alta.) three gave Lethbridge its largest lead of the game, 71-65 with six minutes remaining, but the Huskies had a comeback queued up. Oppong hit a lay-up with under two seconds to play to tie the game up and force overtime.
In the extra frame, Dinter hit a pair of three-pointers to give the Huskies the edge they needed for the victory.
Oppong was just an assist short of a triple-double for Keyano with 26 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. Funa and Taylor each had a game-high 28 points for the Kodiaks.
Players of the game:
Lethbridge - #23 Keanu Funa (28pts, 14reb)
Keyano - #11 Chris Oppong (26pts, 14reb, 9ast)