Kodiaks edge Clippers in scrappy affair

By Lethbridge Herald on January 19, 2024.

Herald Photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge College Kodiaks Tylee Perry attempts to power around Briercrest College defenders during Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference women's basketball action at Val Matteotti Gym on Friday night.

The Lethbridge College Kodiaks women’s basketball team used a scrappy effort to edge the Briercrest College Clippers 63-52 at Val Matteotti Gym on Friday night.

“Scrappy win,” said Ken McMurray, Kodiaks head coach.

“I mean anytime you play Briercrest, it’s going to be a scrappy game. It’s going to be whoever wins the loose ball and rebound war. And I felt like in the second half, our defence was pretty good down the stretch especially, and we were getting those key rebounds, those key steals and those key loose balls and I think that was the difference in the game.”

McMurray thought the offence was somewhat stagnant in the game.

“We were getting some open shots but they weren’t falling and sometimes you have to just grit   it out defensively and get an ugly win here and there,” said McMurray.

McMurray praised Courtney Deemter and Emily Hall for their play on the night.

“They both were on the ground …  getting loose balls and just really playing tough defence and their intensity kind of sparked the rest of our team,” said McMurray.

Hall thought the team came out flat in the first quarter but then picked up the energy.

“Sometimes we’ll get a lead and then kind of let it fall but we like just stayed strong and kept the lead,” said Hall.

The team had focused on defence all week in practice.

“So it was really good to see us come out and work hard on defence and I feel like that’s why we won the game was because of our defence,” said Hall.

Hannah Helton led the way for the Kodiaks as she had 25 points, while showing her defensive skills by corralling in defensive rebounds.

Deemter, Tylee Perry, and Hannah Westrop had seven offensive rebounds each.

The Kodiaks shot 90 per cent from the free-throw line.

With the win, the Kodiak women’s team hit double digits for wins with 10.

As for the Kodiak men’s basketball team, they beat Briercrest 94-84 in the late game.

Those teams will play again today at 3 p.m.