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Sports

Basketball team falls to Saskatchewan; Alberta

Joseph Otoo - Omega Contributor

A grueling weekend for the Thompson Rivers University basketball teams left them with an 0-4 record.

Friday night was dubbed the Clash of the Canines as the Saskatchewan Huskies stormed into the Tournament Capital Centre for a match-up with TRU WolfPack basketball teams.

Only one team could claim big dog status and unfortunately for the TCC faithful it was the visitors who showed more bite. The3-11 WolfPack were left in the rear view by the 9-5 U of S, by a score of 42-68. TRU shot a measly 19 per cent from the field and were outscored 15-4 in the 3rd quarter. The Huskies women's team had four players score double figures, paced by 21 points and 10 rebounds from fifth-year guard Lindsay Degroot.

Coach Scott Reeves was positive after the loss saying that his squad didn't fold the tent and they were able to out-rebound a strong Huskies team in the 2nd half.

Clash of the Canines round two: the 2-12 TRU men’s team didn't fare much better than the ladies, muzzled by the 8-6 Huskies by a score of 51-88. Charismatic Huskies point guard Showron Glover, the leading scorer in the Canada West, showed the vocal TCC crowd what he is capable of by torching the ‘Pack for 26 points, seven steals and five assists. Glover said after the game he likes to play a team game.

"That's kind of how it is, once I get going, I find my teammates for a little something, something here and there,” he said.

WolfPack head coach Thom Gillespie was disappointed with his team’s lack of urgency.

"Intensity has to start at practice on Monday, not Friday night after we're down 8-0."

Gillespie was able to find a microscopic silver lining in the blowout loss: he had a chance to play some of his younger players like Gerry Brown, Milos Janic and Hudson Naylor.

Fast forward to Saturday night, the WolfPack women fell short 54-74 to the 11-5 visiting University of Alberta Pandas.

The ‘Pack were led by a pair of penetrating guards: Kaitlyn Widsten and Jen Ju each had 18 points. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to slow down the golden-clad Pandas, who out-rebounded TRU 52-41. second-year guard Kaitlyn Arbuthnot led the balanced Panda attack with18 points and seven assists.

Alberta head coach Scott Edwards admitted that his team had trouble containing the TRU guards, and that the score didn't indicate how close the game was. Edwards went on to say that the future is bright for this WolfPack women's team.

In this weekend’s basketball finale the TRU men’s team played without Canada West player of the week Greg Stewart. They came up short 69-79 against the 7-9 University of Alberta Golden Bears. Senior forward Jeff Friesen led the WolfPack attack with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Alberta had four players in double figures and did an excellent defensive job on TRU sharpshooter Sean Garvey holding him to just 11 points.

Coach Gillespie said after the game he expects his younger players to step up and push the veterans as the season wraps up. Fifth-year players Sean Garvey, Drew Bleth, Greg Stewart and Jeff Friesen are all getting close to the end of their TRU basketball careers.

The WolfPack are on the road next weekend at Trinity Western University, with their next home games coming Feb. 5 and 6 against Simon Fraser University.

The nickname of the weekend was awarded to women’s Saskatchewan Huskies forward, Erica (Order in the Court) Gavel.