ACAC Women's Basketball Championship
by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips
In 2014-2015 Lethbridge College Kodiaks won the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) women's basketball trophy with a 61-40 decision against the SAIT Trojans.
It was their 13th women's hoops banner.
In 2015-2016 the Kodiaks settled for a bronze medal, shut out of the gold medal match as St. Mary's University Lightning lost a squeaker to the NAIT Ooks 69-66.
It was a year in which the Kodiaks had gone undefeated in 21 regular season games.
Saturday evening the Lightning tipped off against the Kodiaks on their home court in the final game of the 2016-2015 ACAC Women's Basketball Championships.
Would it be No. 14 for the Kodiaks, who once again had a perfect 21-0 regular season record or would the Lightning change the colour of last year's silver medal?
Lightning, 16 wins 5 losses, during the regular season had made it to the final at Val Matteotti Gymnasium, defeating the Keyano Huskies 71-48 and Medicine Hat College Rattlers 63-51.
Kodiaks took their semifinal 66-55 against SAIT, following a 91-35 decision over Lakeland Colleges Rustlers.
Last time, according to an ACAC archives search, a women's playoff game was won by more than a 56-point spread, was in 1997-1998 when the Kodiaks fell to the MacEwan University Griffins 104-46.
Due to uncomplete archives, the largest margin of victory in an ACAC regular season matchup is unknown but in a 1994-1995 game the Kodiaks beat Prairie Bible College 135-30.
GOLD MEDAL MATCH
Outstanding shooting by both sides, highlighted the first half while an in-your-face block by Kodiaks' Logan Moncks in the second quarter brought the loudest cheer from the Kodiaks faithful.
Moncks, a 5-foot-11 centre, was named 2016-2017 ACAC Player of the Year a few days earlier at the banquet.
Kodiaks led 43-29 after 20 minutes, shooting 19-of-41 from the field while out rebounding the Lightning 22-18.
"Playing a lot of defence, we came out and got some stops when we needed to," said Kodiaks' assistant coach Deanna Dotts during a halftime interview on ACACTV. "We have been getting up on the ball and if you don't give it all you got for 40 minutes, this is the end of the season."
Kodiaks opened the second half with plenty of twine time, a Sunder West jumper at the 6:02 mark giving them a 20-point lead 53-33.
Showing an offence with the muscle and a defence with a hustle, not one but two Kodiaks players sliding across the floor after a loose ball, the third quarter ended 69-38 in favour of the Kodiaks with West dropping nine points.
With less than four minutes remaining in regulation, Kodiaks coach Brad Karren emptied his bench the Kodiaks going on to win 85-54.
West led Kodiaks scoring with 25 points while teammate Emma Lowry had a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. West was also selected tournament MVP.
Kassandra Baptiste had 16 points for the Lightning.
"They (Lightning) didn't play their best game and struggled from the outside," said Kodiaks head coach Brad Karren. "After halftime we switched up our press a bit and upped the pressure a lot.
"When the other team keys on (Emma) Lowry and (Logan) Moncks it leaves Sunder (West) open and she will make her shots. That's what happened. She is a quality player."
Of Lowry's triple-double: "When she gets rolling she is tough to stop. She is an outstanding player."
Recalling the 2015-2016 season where the Kodiaks came up short after a 21-0 record: "I try not to put too much on last year as I did not want the girls to think much about it," said Karren. "Back then we had a few girls that were sick and we were missing our point guard. We had to put that behind us and focus."
Bronze medal featured SAIT vs Medicine Hat with the Trojans winning 57-39 behind a balanced scoring attack; Alex Tan, 15; Alicia Tan 15 and Martina Allen 10.
Kodiaks advance to the 2016-2107 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Basketball National Championship to be held March 15 - 18, 2017 in Edmonton, Alberta and hosted by the NAIT Ooks who qualify as host team.