Similar performances put Kodiaks in first in the South

By Dale Woodard on February 1, 2022.

It was mirror image performances for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks men’s basketball team.

Fortunately for them, they were mirror image results as well as the Kodiaks posted a 2-0 weekend, capping it off with an 88-65 win over the Ambrose Lions in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference play Saturday night at the Val Matteotti Gymnasium.

The Kodiaks downed the Lions 86-72 Friday night in Calgary to score the sweep, increase their winning streak to five games and give them a four-point cushion on first place in the South Division at 9-2.

“It was very similar to (Friday) night,” said Kodiaks head coach Ryan Heggie of Saturday’s win. “They have two dynamic scorers in Isaac Gray and Linden Jackson. They’re really good scorers who can break you down and we worked really hard to try and stop them. I think the key is we may have worn them down late in the game. We had a bench rotation of probably 11 and I think they were down to eight rotation. So over a 40-minute game it adds up.

“I think our size, like (Friday) night, can eventually wear them down. I just think we should have recognized that quicker tonight, earlier in the game. We didn’t, but we’ll learn from it.”

Heggie noted the Lions’ hard-working mentality.

“They’re a battle, they show up to play. Win or lose, they’re coming to battle hard all the time, they always have.”

That was also the case Friday night.

“We were down by one at the half, tonight we were tied and then we kind of had a little spread, went up six or eight in the third quarter,” said Heggie. “I think conditioning was a factor and we had some guys step up and make some baskets. But I think our inside-outside was key late in the game.”

Orin Porter led the Kodiaks with 26 points Saturday night, shooting 11-for-20 from the field. He also had seven rebounds and six assists.

“He’s our fifth-year and he’s our leader in a unique way,” said Heggie. “He’s not a rah-rah leader. He’s not somebody who is going to pull the guys together and give a speech or anything. We’re trying to get Orin to bring the team to his level of play and his level of intensity and he’s starting to buy into it. This is his fifth year and his one shot. So he’s really come on recently since the Christmas break to lead the team and I’m happy for him.”

Four of the Kodiaks starters hit double digits Saturday.

Paycen Blackmore scored 18 points and Jack-Henry Fox-Grey and Tomoya Owens each had 12.

Porter also paced the Kodiaks Friday night with 15 points and six assists, while Dawson Atwood came off the bench and drained 13 points.

Fox-Grey had 12 points and Chris Schlauwitz hit for 10.

Taylor Barfus had seven assists Friday.

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