MBB LEAD BY 10 AT HALF BUT FALL TO SFU February 6, 2010
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Sean Garvey's 23 points gave him the TRU Bookstore "Leader of the Pack" award
It was ‘close but no cigar’ time once again for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s basketball team. Closing out their 2009-10 Canada West season on home court, the WolfPack led the #7 Nationally ranked SFU Clan 44-34 at half time, but wound up on the short end of a 91-74 decision at the Tournament Capital Center on Saturday (Feb 6).
The Clan up their record to 13 and 3. TRU finishes the campaign at 3 and 14—the winningest season in the schools brief CIS history (5 years).
The WolfPack jumped out to a 20-17 lead after the first quarter, and rolled to the 10 point lead at the half thanks in part to shooting 53.8 % from beyond the arc. Sean Garvey (5th year, guard, Kamloops, BC), playing his final game in the CIS had 13 of his game high 23 points in that opening period.
But, the WolfPack ran into some foul trouble in the third quarter—sending SFU to the line a number of times. That cost them as they were outscored 31-17 in that period.
The Clan also got some key baskets from 5th year guard Matt Kuziminski (Nanaimo, BC) in the second half en route to the victory. He wound up with a team high 21 points as did fellow fifth year guard Sean Burke (Surrey, BC).
“I thought we played a pretty solid first half,” said WolfPack head coach Thom Gillespie. “ We shot the ball well and rebounded. The third quarter saw some factors which we couldn’t control which took the momentum away from us. Certainly their rebounding presence and defence stepped up. The fourth quarter saw them make a couple of big three’s to win. I thought we did a good job to hang around but they are number seven in the country for a reason.”
Clan coach Scott Clark felt his team’s mental effort wasn’t where it should have been in the first half. “ If you try to win a ‘little bit less’ you think a little more clearly. I thought that we really wanted to win. But that wasn’t the goal. The goal is to do your job and the win will take care of itself. I thought we did a little better job of that in the second half.”
The WolfPack had three other players in double figures scoring wise: Greg Stewart (4th year, forward, Kamloops, BC) had a double double—15 points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Friesen (5 th year, forward, Duncan, BC) had 13 points with Drew Bleth (5 th year, guard, Ridgeview, Wash) chipping in with 11 points in their final games in the CIS.
SFU also had two other players with 10 points or more. Eric Burrell (3rd year,forward, Surrey, BC) had a double double (16 points and 10 rebounds). Kevin Shaw (5th year, guard, North Vancouver, BC) had 10 points.
The Clan outrebounded the WolfPack 42-36 and had 12 turnovers to TRU’s 17.
FREE THROWS: Garvey felt that he played three good quarters in his final game. “I ran out of gas in the fourth. The season was very long and tough on my body. Coming back and playing large minutes….overall, I was happy with it. I wish we could have come out with the win.”
Bleth felt the game was a battle all night. “ I don’t want to say they out worked us but a couple of loose balls, a couple of key shots and tough calls and it wound up being a 14 point game.”
TRU WOLFPACK ATHLETICS: PROUD HOSTS OF THE 2010 CIS MENS NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS-MARCH 12-14 TH TOURNAMENT CAPITAL CENTER, KAMLOOPS BC
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