Coyotes thrill fans at inaugural games
Festive atmosphere helps women’s team earn split, men battle to 2 close losses
The Okanagan College basketball teams had a fantastic opening weekend in their inaugural games in Kelowna. The gym was packed and filled with a festive atmosphere — plus some great basketball.
In Friday’s action, the women’s team battled hard in a very tight contest but the Ambrose Lions pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Coyotes 83-57.
Top scorers for Okanagan were Danielle Ruocco, leading the way as OC’s player of the game with 13 points, Navneet Mann and Megan AdmussenBlair — chipping in with 10 points each.
In men’s action, both teams seemed evenly matched in a back and forth game that featured several lead changes.
The Ambrose Lions shot the ball very well and put the nail in the coffin midway through the fourth on their way to an 85-77 win. Top scorers for the Coyotes were Curtis Wilson with 16 points and Jesse Vissia with 11 points. Player of the game was Jeff Tubbs.
“It was a great evening and an even better crowd,” said coach Gino Dini.
“We would have loved to come up with two wins, but we played hard and both teams got the opportunity to get a lot of players on the court. We know our identity and where we stand a bit more now.
“We have a list of things to work on and will take it from here to improve and continue to build our culture. I am really impressed with both teams on and off the court. We will get better and will work on the defensive side of the game all this week.”
Both teams had a quick turnaround for Game 2, with the women tipping off at 11 a.m. Saturday — again in front of a gym packed full of fans.
The OC women seemed to really figure some things out after the game the night before, shooting the lights out and coming out on top with a 92-87 victory. The Coyotes started out on fire, scoring 34 points in the first quarter and had 57 points at the half. The Coyote women had six players in double figures, led by Player of the Game Ciara Bamford with 24 points. Megan Blair also shot extremely well with 20 points.
“Our team shot the ball very well from the 3 and adjusted to Ambrose’s press after Friday’s game, leading to a lot more transition points for us,” said coach Andrew Gini.
“We showed some obvious nerves in our first game, but we were really able to adjust on Saturday. I think everyone was more comfortable and played with more confidence and poise. It was really nice to get a win early on in our program.”
In men’s action, the OC coyotes came out of the gate strong and went on an 11-0 run. Momentum swung back and forth, but the Ambrose Lions held on to defeat OC 94-86.
Top scorer for the Coyotes was Curtis Wilson, turning in a solid performance with a game-high 25 points. Point guard Matt Lafontaine also had a great game, scoring 19 points.
“We had a much better performance Saturday,” said Gini.
“We played with more urgency, and a better IQ. The most important thing is that we got better and more organized. We now have the opportunity to work on aspects of our game that we saw needed addressing after this weekend.
“I want to thank everyone for their support this weekend. It was fantastic and so much appreciated.”
Both teams are off to Columbia Bible College this weekend. Fans can find a livestream link on Columbia Bible College’s website to watch the game.
The Coyotes’ next home action is Sept. 29-30 in the Immaculata High