CALGARY – Nate Petrone and Declan Peterson each tallied double-doubles to help the Calgary Dinos men's basketball team fend off a strong effort from Lethbridge for a 98-86 win Friday evening from the Jack Simpson Gym.

The Pronghorns played lights out in the second quarter – erupting for 38 points in the frame on 70 percent shooting and held a 56-49 lead at the half. The Dinos responded with a strong third quarter, retaking the lead at 67-66 with 4:58 to play and never trailed again.

The win is the sixth in a row for Calgary and moves them to 14-3 on the year – good for a one-game lead on the rest of the Canada West Prairie Division with three games left to play.

Lethbridge falls to 10-7 on the year and remains fourth in the division standings.

Petrone racked up a game-high 29 points to go with a career-best 11 assists.

Peterson poured in 18 points and 15 rebounds – both career bests – for his first double-double as a Dino.

"I've played against these guys the last two years," said Peterson – who joined the Dinos this season after two years at Lethbridge College. "I just love competing against them." 

Angelo Mbituyimana – who spent one season with the Dinos – led the way for Lethbridge with 23 points, five rebounds and five steals.

The Dinos opened the game on a strong note, connecting on their first five shots and raced out to a quick 16-6 lead after a jumper by Martynas Sabaliauskas. Daniels Baumanis drilled a triple to close the first for a 30-18 lead by the Dinos in a high-paced start to this one.

The frenetic style of play continued in the second. Calgary built its lead to 39-27 after a jumper from Petrone, before the 'Horns erupted for a 17-2 run to go ahead 44-41 in the blink of an eye. The Dinos kept things close, but a three by Brady Baines gave Lethbridge a seven-point edge at the break.

Calgary got back to its style of play after the break, opening the second half with an immediate 8-0 burst to retake the lead at 57-56. Lethbridge continued to battle, taking a one-point lead at 66-65 after a triple by Kevin Ibula, but the Dinos answered with two more from Petrone before another three by Baumanis gave the home team a lead they would never relinquish the rest of the way.

Lethbridge was able to get the lead back down to single digits after a three from Mbituyimana, but Petrone answered back the next time down the court with a three of his own and Calgary iced the game away from there.

The two teams are right back at it Saturday with a scheduled tip time of 6 p.m., with "Seniors' Day" festivities preceding the game.

-UC-