Trojans take bronze against host Rustlers

Saturday's Bronze medal tilt was the host Lakeland Rustlers (17-3) and the SAIT Trojans (21), a pair of teams devastated by their results a day ago, but looking for some competitive redemption.

Both teams started the game off strong ready, reminiscent of the two strongest teams in the regular season. The Rustlers took lots of shots in the quarter, forcing the Trojans to defend hard, while SAIT's attacking kept the Rustlers' defending on their toes and led 22-15 at the break

Lakeland set the tone for the second on an eight-point run which allowed them to take the lead. Both teams felt the importance of the game and gave it their all, but SAIT started to hit multiple shots. At the half, 44-38 for the Trojans.

The Rustlers started the third strong, fighting for a comeback. Their defence, anchored by Jordan Horobetz-Simpson, helped keep the home crowd rowdy. Contributions from team MVP Taleh Wade and David Dimaano off the bench resulted in a large comeback, with the Trojans leading 61-59 going into the fourth.

The stakes were high in the last quarter, as SAIT's defense forced Lakeland into tough shots. South Division Player of the Year Marcus Masters showcased his ball handling skills and managed to complete a four-point play that helped seal the game 89-80.

Two players finishing their careers tonight, Lakeland's Baha Salma (20 points) and Masters (23) points, were the POG's. Jordan Horobetz Simpson and Killian Yoba were the respective All Stars. SAIT picks up their first medal since 2023, when they won conference and national gold.