University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s basketball team defeat UFV Cascades, 74-72, in Canada West action
Lethbridge, Alberta…The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s basketball team defeated the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades, 74-72, in a fast past entertaining Canada West regular season game played at the First Choice Savings Center tonight in Lethbridge. The Cascades, currently ranked 7th in the CIS top ten poll, see their Pacific Division record fall to 7-7, good for third place in the division.
Parchment led UFV with 23 points tonight.
The Cascades started off slowly tonight as Lethbridge quickly established an early lead and never loss it throughout the first half of play. The Pronghorns would lead by four points after the first quarter. Lethbridge would play tremendous team defense in the second quarter holding UFV to 10 points, a season low on the road this year, as they built up a double digit lead that grew to 20 points with two minutes remaining in the first half. The Cascades Kevon Parchment, Toronto, Ontario would hit two baskets right before the break to bring the deficit down to 19 points. Parchment led UFV with 9 points at the intermission, UFV shot a mere 25 percent in the first half.
The Cascades came out strong in the second half as head coach Adam Friesen juggled the Cascades line up and sent out five guards looking to shoot UFV’s way back into the game. The coaching strategy paid off as UFV climbed back into the game by outscoring Lethbridge by 14 points in the third quarter, and holding the Pronghorns to 7 points. The temporary comeback was compete at the four minute mark when Sam Freeman, Coquitlam, BC hit back to back three point shots to give UFV their first lead of the game at 61-60. The lead would change hands four different times with UFV’s biggest lead three points, at 66-63, before Lethbridge scored five straight points and hold on for the two point victory.
UFV had one last opportunity to win the game as Parchment’s final shot from half court rattled off the rim before falling harmlessly to the ground. Shades of last year’s final shot in game three of the Canada West quarterfinal game were in the minds of the fans in Lethbridge, as the shot hit the rim.
Parchment led UFV with 23 points, 9 rebounds and 6 steals. Freeman chipped in with 15 points and Sean Ashkenazy, North Vancouver, BC added 10 points and 9 boards. Ashkenazy played very well in the second half during the third quarter comeback picking up most of his 9 rebounds during the Cascades 12 point run. UFV shot 34 percent in the second half from the floor. The team also pulled down 48 total rebounds tonight, a big improvement over the past three regular season games.
UFV will entertain UNBC Timberwolves next weekend, at the EAC, they will try to end this post-holiday for game losing streak.
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