Dinos hold off Pronghorn women
A late charge and plenty of grit that came with it set the table for an entertaining finish for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball team.
Unfortunately, it didn’t end with a victory as the Horns were edged 77-73 by the Calgary Dinos in Canada West play Thursday night at the 1st Choice Savings Centre to fall to 5-4 this season.
Down 67-47 after the third quarter, the Pronghorns got the home crowd buzzing with an 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter before Asnate Fomina hit for a pair of three-pointers in the final 1:46, including one with 10 seconds left to cut Calgary’s lead to 75-73.
But a pair of free throws from Calgary’s Michaela Nieuwenhuizen off a foul from Lethbridge’s Danielle Fritzke with seven seconds left put the game just out of reach on a night where the Dinos were lethal from three-point range, shooting 11-for-24.
The teams wrap up the home-and-home weekend Saturday in Calgary.
“In the fourth quarter, I think it was all our defensive focus again,” said Pronghorns interim coach Dave Waknuk, whose team was outscored 27-13 in the third quarter to fall behind by 20. “I thought we didn’t execute in the third quarer. In the fourth quarter, I just thought we showed way more grit. It’s a word that was used in our locker room and I think it was appropriate. We just played with grit, played tough and outscored them 26-10 in the fourth quarter. So that’s defence. The defence led the offence on both ends and that’s what turned this thing around and almost got us out of here with the win.”
The teams kept it close in the first half with the Dinos nursing a 40-34 lead at the break.
But the Dinos opened up an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter before stretching that lead to 20 to start the fourth.
“All credit to Calgary for the way they shot the ball,” said Waknuk. “They hit 11-for-24, 45 per cent on the threes, that’s massive.
The teams wrap the weekend Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Horns men also look to snap out of a losing streak, having lost their last four games.
The 4-9-1 Pronghorns hold the final playoff spot in Canada West, four points ahead of the Regina Cougars and Manitoba Bisons.
Statistically, the Pronghorns have scored the second fewest goals in the conference with 32 and have allowed the third most against with 52.
Since returning from injury, Torrin White has been a consistent point producer. In the six games since he returned he has registered at least one point in each game and sits with five goals and three assists.
Justin Valentino leads the Pronghorns in scoring this season with two goals and nine assists. He had a five-game point streak snapped last Saturday.
UBC swept the Pronghorns during the Canada West season opening weekend in Lethbridge.
Game time tonight is 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, local time.
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