Five Kodiaks take home ACAC basketball awards
By Lethbridge Herald on March 12, 2022.
Five members of the Lethbridge College Kodiaks men’s and women’s basketball teams were recognized both on the court and on the bench as the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference announced its 2022 basketball awards Thursday.
Earning the ACAC South Division Rookie of the Year in addition to being named a South Division First Team all-star was Courtney Deemter.
Joining Deemter on the first all-star team was her cousin, Kirsten Barwegen.
On the men’s side, Orin Porter Jr. completed his Kodiaks tenure with his third career all-star selection and second consecutive first team all-star nod.
The honours extended to the sidelines as Kodiaks head coaches Ken McMurray and Ryan Heggie received South Division Coach of the Year awards for the women and men, respectively.
A Calgary product, Deemter helped the Kodiaks to an 11-5 record to capture second place in the ACAC South Division.
Deemter averaged 18.8 points-per-game, the second highest mark in the conference.
She also shot 36.4 per cent from the field and hit for 64 made free-throws on the season, the second-highest total in the conference.
Deemter also had 47 steals, the third-highest mark in the conference.
Playing in her graduating season, Barwegen averaged 14.8 points-per-game on 46.2 per cent shooting.
Defensively she forced 37 steals and was the Kodiaks top rebounder, leading the team with 165 boards.
Barwegen was also named an ACAC first team all-star in 2019-20.
Porter Jr. led the Kodiaks in almost every offensive category, averaging a team-high 16.4 points-per-game.
He also hit for 28 three-pointers, seventh most in the conference and ranked ninth in the conference in assists with 54.
McMurray guided a young Kodiaks team to an 11-5 record in his first full season behind the Kodiaks bench.
The Kodiaks emerged as of the strongest defensive teams in the conference, placing top-five in many defensive categories including steals, rebounding and points allowed.
Heggie nets his second Coach of the Year selection in as many seasons and third overall, previously winning the award in 2015-16 and 2019-20.
The Kodiaks were 13-3 in the regular season, carried by strong team defensive play that allowed the fewest points-per-game in the entire conference with 68.3.
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