Sunday 8 January 2012

Wayne Thomas Canada West Report: Dinos go 0-2

Dinos Fall Short in Loss at Trinity

Trinity Western Spartans 107 Calgary Dinos 97...  The Spartans earn a much-needed sweep, as hot-shooting from Kyle Coston and Calvin Westbrook sparked TWU with 28 and 22 points respectively.  While the Spartans give themselves a confidence boost for a chase of a playoff spot at 4-6, the Dinos must have doubt creeping in as they drop to 3-7, after a late surge brought them to within 4 points before TWU iced it.

Tyler Fidler was in foul trouble from the outset, and sat out much of the 1st half, then getting his 4th mid-way in the 3rd quarter; Fidler had a red-hot 4th, and, along with the 3 point shooting of guard Andrew McGuinness, the 5th year wingman gave the Dinos a brief look at a come-back, as he finished with 23 on 7/11 FG shots.  McGuinness was 5/11 from beyond the arc, and most of his 20 points came in a flurry in the 4th.  Boris Bakovic scored 22, and grabbed 7 boards ... the 5th year post man was 10/12 from the foul line.

In the end, it was the inability of Calgary's defense to stop the Trinity attack ... Westbrook hit 4/7 treys and Coston hit on 9/14 field goals.  The Spartans were a scorching 41/66 from the floor (62%), and hit 19/31 free throws ... Calgary shot a respectable 48% on 30/62, and were 27/33 (82%) from the line.  Calgary suffered from 23 turnovers, while Trinity had 19, with many of those in a loose 4th stanza.

The Dinos will be at home next week against the #4 ranked Saskatchewan Huskies, who were 1-1 this week, losing to UBC Saturday, after beating Victoria on Friday.

Other Canada West Results - Saturday

  at UBC T-Birds 67 Saskatchewan Huskies 60 ...  a swarming UBC defense stifled the usually potent Huskies offense, and Nathan Yu poured in 22 points on 4/8 treys, while Kamar Burke had 9 points and 12 rebounds.  UBC (6-2) had 11 blocks on the game, but they limited their own offense with 29 turnovers. The Huskies (6-3)  got 17 from a closely guarded Jamelle Barrettt, and 11 pts./15 rebs. from Michael Lieffers, but they were 25 points under their season's average.

at Victoria Vikes 83 Alberta G. Bears 77 ... Victoria got a weekend split to stay atop the Pacific at 9-1, while Alberta was sent home with 2 losses, and fall to 6-4 behind Saskatchewan in the Prairie. Vikes, who shot 51% from the floor to Alberta's 47%, were 24/28 from the line vs just 11/15 for the Bears. Michael Acheampong scored 23 for Vic, with Ryan McKinnon chipping in 20 ... Jordan Baker had 25 pts/12 boards for U of A, with Daniel Ferguson notching 26 including 4/10 treys.

   Lethbridge Pronghorns 87 at Fraser Valley Cascades 78 ... the 'Horns get a big win over the #9 Cascades, with 4 players in double figures ... Daryl Cooper 18 pts, Dom Coward 17/ 9 boards, Morgan Duce with 17 from 4/7 shots from 3 , while Niko Kovac managed 10 points and 7 rebounds.  Lethbridge (5-5) claimed 46 rebounds to 36 for the home team ... U of L was 26/44 from the line vs 21/29 for UFV in a foul-plagued affair. Sam Freeman was the game's high scorer for Fraser Valley (6-4) with 23, and Jasper Moedt counted 20 and had 6 boards.

  Manitoba Bisons 86 at Thompson Rivers WolfPack 78 ...  trailing by 5 after 3/4s, the Bisons (6-4) clipped the Wolves 22-9 in the 4th as Jonar Huertas scored 23, Kurtis Sansregret 22, and Kevin Oliver had 19 and 7 rebounds. TRU got another good scoring night from justin King, who was 24 points and 13 rebounds, but he and his teammates coughed up the ball 23 times. Chas Kok also had a double double 15 pts/ 10 rebounds for the 'Pack who fall to 5-5.

  at UBC-O Heat 79 Winnipeg Wesmen 70 ... a 2nd Canada West win for the Heat (2-8), as the woes of Winnipeg continue into the New Year. Yassine Ghomari impresses in scoring 32 for UBC-O on 12/21 field goals, while Brett MacDonald added 16 and 6 rebounds. The Wesmen, who are now 2-8, had Dominique Brown scoring 16, Eric Zimmerman and Mark McNee 14 each, and Benny Iko with 12 pts. / 9 rebounds.

   Regina Cougars 83 at Brandon Bobcats 74 ... Regina gets the split with a career effort from Jared Janotta as he scores 22 and grabs 14 boards.  Paul Gareau shot 9/12 FGs for 21 points, and Brenden Hebert is 9 pts./9 rebs. as the Cougars move up to 3-6. Brandon has a letdown from Friday, slipping to 4-6 ... Jordan Reaves hits 21 pts., Donovan Gayle with 12 pts./14 rebounds. for the 'Cats.

Notes ...

  *  Coaches all suffer incremental damage from losses like the Alberta tragedy at UBC Friday ... Coach Greg Francis doesn't really care that others have replayed these moments on and off for years. He is the guy with the pain at the moment.  Can't inbounds the ball ?  Travel or turn it over with a panic pass? Miss a clutch free throw? Or get the cold dagger of a last second 'prayer' going in for your opponent ?  Take 3 deep breaths, and move on ....
  *  Kudos to long-time St. FX Coach Steve Konchalski, who recorded his 800th career win in CIS competition with his teams victory Saturday over UNB.
  *  As Regina and Winnipeg have illustrated, it's tough to find an 'instant remedy' to all that ails you ...   the Cougars brought in a point guard and a post in the past week or so, to shore up a struggling roster, but Coach James Hillis knows (looking at his 11 deep rotation from Friday's loss to Brandon) that this is a longer term project.  Andrew Cunningham is and will be a great floor leader for the Wesmen and Coach Mike Raimbault, but his influence is not immediately able to turn the Ws into a 40% + shooting team ...patience.  3 deep breaths ....
  *  If jamelle Barrett is now going to revert to 'THE JAMELLE BARRETT' , the scene changes significantly for U of S opponents. The guy can be spilled mercury at times ... he snakes to the hoop and banks in some impossible runner ... then launches, and makes an 'in your face' trey over 2 defenders.  Ask the Vikes, who are just the most recent victims.  Like the movie  'Jaws' ... just when you thought it was safe .... (UBC denied him the ball on Saturday, and the 'Birds won at home).
  *  Note to Canada West TV ... not sure it was just my own experience, but reception was better than ever last night and tonight.  Now about the announce and camera  crews ... the passion is there, and polish comes with experience ... maybe less hysteria, less story-telling, more score and time.  Show the score clock, if we don't have an on-screen time/score graphic. Why don't we have an on screen time/score graphic?  Still ...     getting better.

Other CIS Scores ...

In the Atlantic - Dalhousie 89 Memorial 76 , St. FX 87 UNB 68, St. Mary's 93
UPEI 86

In Quebec - UQAM 73 Bishops 60

in the OUA - #1 Carleton 98 Laurentian 51, #3 Lakehead 87 Western 66, #8
Laurier 93 Brock 70 ,

McMaster 97 Waterloo 84, Toronto 69 Queens 56 , Ryerson 92 RMC 19, Ottawa 92
York 71, Windsor 70 Guelph 59


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