Huskies pull away from Clippers to advance to the semifinals
A close match-up kicked off the men's basketball provincial tournament as the Keyano Huskies (16-4) and the defending champion Briercrest Clippers (14-7) both fought to get one step closer to the final.
Keyano started the game off strong with an 11-6 lead, communicating and passing with success. However, Briercrest tied the game up a short amount of time, with both Gabe Vig and Markus Glasspell hitting key 3-pointers, leading to Briercrest closing the short gap between scores. After a constant battle, Keyano pulled out a 2-point lead to end the first quarter 27- 25.
Both teams made smart passes capitalizing on windows and spacings created. Keenan Miller of Keyano made a great impact driving on offence and helping his team stay in the lead. Briercrest's Brandon Houndonougbo kept his composure down low, providing his team with a reliable layer of defense against the Huskies continuous efforts to score.
The Clippers came out of half time with offensive momentum. Keyano answered with great defensive energy and continued to lead the game, maintaining composure as well as speed. Despite Briercrest's attempts, KC went on a 13-point run late in the quarter. Pulling away, Keyano broadened the gap to 75-56, heading into the 4th.
Continuing with their smart passes and defensive strength, the Huskies pulled away, leading by 25 points with 4 minutes left in the quarter. Miller continued to score, leading his team with 27 points, while Vig scored 22 points for the Clippers. Final score was 100-79, with Carter Waind of Briercrest and Keenan Miller of Keyano being named the players of the game.
The Clippers will play in the first consolation semifinal game at 1:00 pm Friday, while the Huskies will face the winner of SAIT and Concordia at 6:00 pm.