CIS Hoops.ca

Clan men get back in a groove as No. 10 SFU topples No. 4 Calgary
By Howard Tsumura

The Simon Fraser Clan got back to acting like a nationally-ranked men's basketball team on Saturday.
On the heels of an 87-73 overtime loss to the Lethbridge Proghorns on Friday, a setback that saddled the CIS No. 10-ranked Clan with its first loss of the season, SFU roared back with authority Saturday, upsetting the No.4-ranked Clagary Dinos 86-82 atop Burnaby Mountain.
“The difference tonight was that we closed out the game in the fourth quarter,” said SFU head coach Scott Clark whose team improved to 6-1 and dropped the Dinos to 8-2. “We played much better defensively, we gave a more concerted effort to fight for rebounds and made more out of our opportunities.”
Closing out the game meant having the stamina to absorb a 10-1 fourth quarter-opening run by the Dinos, and answering back with a 13-3 run of its own which put SFU on top 79-78 with just over two minutes remaining.
Kevin Shaw led the Clan with 20 points while Kevin Pribilsky added 15. Eric Burrell and Chas Kok each scored 14. Robbie Sihota led Calgary with a game-high 25.
Both teams went without key starters, Calgary without Ross Bekkering and SFU for the second straight night without senior Matt Kuzminski.
*The No. 2-ranked UBC Thunderbirds rode the hot hand of senior Kyle Watson to a 93-75 win over the host Manitoba Bisons on Saturday, finishing the first half of the Canada West season is first place with a 7-0 record. Watson shot a perfect 9-for-9 from the field in the first half, scoring 18 points in 20 minutes. He finished with 20 for the game. Josh Whyte added 18 points for the winners while Kamar Burke had 11 points and 12 rebounds.
*Jeff Cullen scored a game-high 17 points as Victoria (4-3) closed out the first half of its season with a resounding 72-47 win over the host Winnipeg Wesmen.