Saturday 12 January 2008

Bobcats Ride Strong Second Half to win at UBC

Brandon (12-1) 92, UBC (11-3) 78 6'3" Dany Charlery put on an All-Canadian performance with several key plays throughout the game including the final three-point dagger late in the game to lead the Bobcats to an important road victory over the T-Birds in Vancouver. Earlier, Charlery keyed a late 10-0 second quarter run with a steal and transition dunk as the Bobcats cut a 47-33 lead down to only 4 at the break. The Cats then went on a 17-8 run off the start of the third quarter including a mini 8-0 run culminated in an acrobatic lay-in by 6'1" Yul Michel to lead by 5 and Brandon never trailed again. A pair of Charlery free throws put Brandon up 66-59 late in the third quarter but, with Charlery and Michel on the bench, the T-Birds made one final run after a block by 6'6" freshman Graham Bath followed later by a Bath layup to tie the game briefly. But then back-to-back threes by Kevin Oliver and Michel bridging the third and fourth quarters gave the Cats a six point lead which they extended to double digits midway through the fourth. 6'1" Alex Murphy brought UBC back to within 7 with 3 minutes remaining and the T-Birds had some momentum but Charlery knocked in a tough 3 to push the lead back to 10 and the game was done. Brandon had jumped out to an early lead off the start of the game but the T-Birds, behind 10 points each from 6'6" Kyle Watson and 6'6" Brent Malish who was UBC's best player on the night, took the lead late in the first quarter. UBC led by 11 at 41-30 when Michel tossed up an ally-oop to 6'9" Yuri Whyms, who slammed the nice look home and was fouled. After the ensuing free throw, Brandon had it back to 8. However, 6'7" Bryson Kool had a pair of put backs in a 6-0 UBC run and it appeared the route might be on with UBC up by 16. But Charlery's athletic move energized his team and the Cats went on to finished the game on a 59-31. UBC's 6'3" Chris Dyck played spairingly as he nurses a leg injury. Brandon takes the ferry over to Victoria for a game tomorrow night while Regina, 72-57 losers at Victoria, visit UBC.

Thompson Rivers (2-13) 91, Simon Fraser (7-7) 76 Any momentum the Clan may have generated in a tight overtime loss at home to first-place UBC was washed away as the last-place WolfPack got 18 points from 6'5" Kamar Burke, back from injury, to break open a two point halftime game with a 51 point second half to knock off Simon Fraser in Burnaby. Brian Smith also added 18 for the Pack but Burke was the key, adding 5 rebounds and 6 assists as TRU won without Head Coach Nevin Gleddie, suspended for both weekend games.

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