Trojans take down nation's No. 1 team
CALGARY, ALTA., (Jan. 30, 2020) - The SAIT Trojans men's basketball team really wanted this one bad.
The Trojans handed the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association's (CCAA) No. 1 ranked team, the Lethbridge College Kodiaks, their first loss of the season in a 90-69 decision played out at SAIT's Campus Centre Thursday night.
"We wanted this one," said Trojans guard Calvin Chambers (4th year, Memphis, Tenn., Business Administration), who scored a game-high 30 points in the win. "We wanted to get back to the top of the rankings, and wanted to get a little payback from the two losses they handed us at the end of the first semester."
SAIT, who are the league's three-time defending champions, moves to 11-3 on the season. Lethbridge College stays atop the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) South Division standings at 15-1.
On Nov. 29, the Kodiaks came into the same SAIT gym and shot the lights out, nailing 15 three-pointers to beat the Trojans 99-83. On Thursday, they hit just 10 - with just four of those coming in the second half.
"The strategy is to not give them open looks because they will take advantage of every one of them," said Trojans head coach Marty Birky. "We did a good job of keeping a hand in their face all night."
The Trojans got out to an early start, by utilizing their big men inside Gemie Muya (2nd year, Toronto, Ont., Office Professional) and Taliik Ross (3rd year, Orange Park, Fla., Business Administration).
The two combined for 10 points and eight rebounds in the opening 10 minutes of play, which opened things up for Chambers, who scored 10 of his own in the first.
"Once they started doubling down low, they would kick it out to us for the open shot," Chambers said with a smile.
At half, the Trojans led the Kodiaks 43-36.
In the second half, SAIT watched as Lethbridge came out of the gates quickly. Just over three minutes into the third quarter, the visitors erased the seven-point lead and took their own, 46-45 when Chase Bohne connected from the three-point line.
The teams went back and forth trading leads for the remainder of the quarter before a Charlie Conner (3rd year, Lacey, Wash., Business Administration) three-pointer gave SAIT a 64-60 lead with a minute remaining in the quarter. The lead grew back to seven by the time the buzzer singled the end of the third.
In the final quarter, SAIT absolutely shut down the Kodiaks, allowing them just nine points in the final 10 minutes of play to turn a once-tight game into a 21-point victory.
"Everybody is beatable, and tonight was just our night," Chambers finished. "We just want to get better everyday."
Conner finished with an equally-as-impressive 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
Bohne led the Kodiaks with 13 points.
The Trojans will try keep the winning vibes going next weekend with a home-and-home series against the Red Deer College Kings - Friday night at home, Saturday night on the road.