Burnaby, B.C. – Despite missing senior Matt Kuzminski for the second straight night, the No. 10 ranked Simon Fraser University Clan men's basketball team handed the No. 4 ranked University of Calgary Dinos only their second loss of the season on Saturday, as the Clan defeated Calgary 86–82 to improve to 6-1 on the season.
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Senior Kevin Shaw (North Vancouver, B.C.) proved to be the difference maker, scoring 20 points, as the Clan had five players reach double figures. The loss drops Calgary to 8-2 on the year, negating an outstanding performance from fifth-year senior Robbie Sihota, who scored 25.
“The difference tonight was that we closed out the game in the fourth quarter,” said SFU head coach Scott Clark following the game. “We played much better defensively, we gave a more concerted effort to fight for rebounds and made more out of our opportunities.”
Sihota started to catch fire near the end of the first quarter, connecting on a three-pointer in the final minute to tie the game at 24-24 heading into the second frame. Down two points (37-35) midway through the second quarter, Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson scored nine of the Dinos final 13 points of the half, giving Calgary a 48-42 lead at the halftime.
The Clan however battled back in the third quarter, using a 13-3 run with four minutes left in the frame to take a 61-57 advantage. Patrick Walker and Sihota were able to give Calgary a two-point advantage before a Kevin Pribilsky lay-up tied the game at 65-65 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth, Sihota once again took over, scoring seven of the Dinos first eight points of the frame as part of a 10-1 run to open the quarter. Not to be outdone, the Clan battled back with a 13-to-3 run of their own to take a 79-78 lead following two Kevin Shaw (North Vancouver, B.C.) made free throws. Calgary retook the lead 80-79 with 1:49 left in the quarter when Jordan Flagel scored by driving the lane.
The Clan refused to wilt, as Sean Burke (North Vancouver, B.C.) made two consecutive free throws when Ogungbemi-Jackson fouled out of the game, but with under a minute to play Eric Burrell took his fourth foul to send Sihota to the free throw line. Sihota answered by making both, giving Calgary an 82-81 advantage. On the Clan's next trip down the floor, Shaw drove to the hoop and got his lay-up to fall while being fouled, and capped off the three-point play with the free throw. With the game on the line, Sihota missed a three-point attempt and Burke clinched the game for the Clan with two made free throws.
Joining Shaw in double figures for the Clan was Pribilsky with 15, Burrell and Chas Kok each with 14 and Jordan Nostedt with 11. Burrell added 14 rebounds for a double-double. Joining Sihota in double figures for the Dinos was Tyler Fidler, who finished the game with 16 points and nine rebounds.
This concludes the Canada West schedule for 2009, the teams now enter their winter exam break. The Clan have an exhibition game next week however against Western Washington on Wednesday in Bellingham.
Game Notes: Both teams played without seniors; joining Bekkering in street clothes was SFU's Matt Kuzminski, who missed his second straight game due to the fact that Kuzminski had minor surgery on his hand earlier in the week... Bekkering was out with a shoulder injury… Fidler left the game in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be an injury to his right knee.
