Kodiaks scrap their way to silver
The Lethbridge College Kodiaks mens’ basketball team simply had nothing left in the tank.
Having toppled the defending national champion and the number-two ranked team in the country, the Kodiaks came up just short of an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference gold medal, losing 85-65 to the SAIT Trojans Saturday night in Medicine Hat.
After kicking off the provincial weekend with a thrilling 80-77 victory over the ACAC and Canadian Colleges Athletic Association defending champ NAIT Ooks Thursday night and then knocking off the host Medicine Hat Rattlers 78-66 in the semifinal Friday night, the Kodiaks were simply running on fumes in the gold medal game as SAIT’s John Smith hit for 40 points to earn the Trojans the gold.
However, as the ACAC wildcard, the Kodiaks aren’t done as the team joins the Trojans in Prince Edward Island in two two weeks for the CCAA championship.
“I think we emptied the tank this weekend,” said Kodiaks head coach Ryan Heggie. “We emptied the tank against NAIT and last night, being an unranked team and knocking off the number-two ranked team in Canada in their own gym. We emptied the tank. It’s not like we didn’t try today. We didn’t have that extra fourth or fifth gear.”
The Kodiaks led 17-16 after the first quarter Saturday night.
“We had a good opening quarter,” said Heggie. “We were playing well, but I don’t think we were playing our best basketball at times. It caught up to us not playing our best against a team who was, I felt, at the top of their game tonight. We went in at the half down eight points knowing we still hadn’t given our best shot. It’s not like the effort wasn’t there, it’s just the shots weren’t falling and we were getting out-rebounded.”
“They were getting some more key rebounds than us and we didn’t shoot the ball so well either.”
Chris Maughan led the Kodiaks with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Keanu Funa had 13 points.
Cory Richardson had 10 points and Grady Taylor added seven boards.
“We had the hardest road to the final against the defending champ and the number-two team Canada,” said Heggie. “Our coaching staff is so proud of these guys for the type of people they are and the type of class they play with. We represent the college very well and they played hard. They play honest and I’m proud of them. Sometimes you have to tip your hat to your opponent and tonight was one of those nights. We’ll travel together to nationals in two weeks.”
The Kodiaks will likely find out who their first opponent is at Nationals on Monday.
“We’re playing for a ring at the national championship and we don’t have one of those,” said Heggie. “We’re in the national tournament, one of the top-eight teams in Canada right now. That’s a pretty good weekend.”
Maughn and Cory Richarson were named First Team Tournament All-Stars and Robert Miles earned a Second Team Tournament All-Star nod.