Home » Sports » Basketball » Spartans rip Mustangs in exhibition match

Spartans rip Mustangs in exhibition match

November 1, 2011
By Pat Robinson

Making the trip east from British Columbia, the Mustangs women’s basketball team welcomed the Trinity Western Spartans. The Mustangs certainly put forth a valiant effort in the final three quarters but the visiting Spartans were too much to handle. Despite their effort, the Mustangs fell by a score of 74-67.

Stumbling off the block, the Mustangs dug themselves an early hole. The first quarter proved to be too much of an obstacle for the team to overcome as they trailed 26-11.  Disappointed with his team’s effort to date, the Mustangs coach Brian Chen felt similarly about his players first quarter effort.

“We didn’t compete hard enough in the first. The team moving forward needs to learn to play all four quarters if we are going to be a championship team this year,” Chen said.

The Mustangs did show a lot of resiliency battling back in the second quarter to cut the deficit down to 40-37.  The run was highlighted by the Mustangs guard Laura Dally’s impressive long distance shooting. Going on a 9-0 run brought the Mustangs within striking distance of the visiting Spartans. First-year standout Annabel Hancock was also integral in this run as she contributed five points in the quarter.

“We are a young team that is learning new systems but everyone in the room is committed to playing hard and not quitting,” Dally said.

The biggest difference in the second half was the perimeter shooting of Trinity Western. The Spartans were able to keep the Mustangs comebacks at bay by going 8 of 14 from three point land.  The Spartans were able to go on a 9-0 run of their own to finish the third quarter leading 65-53. A team built on depth, the Spartans and were able to outscore the Mustangs reserves.

“We have a lot of depth on our, today we had four different players in double digits for the game so when we are playing well it certainly makes it harder to beat us,” Cheryl Jean-Paul, the Spartans’ head coach, said.

A few standouts from the game were second year guard, Laura Dally and fourth-year forward Katelyn Leddy, both finishing with 13 points respectively.

“They move the ball around really fast and precisely which made it more difficult to stop the momentous shots they were hitting,” Dally said.

“Part of a championship team dynamic is first to not quit no matter the score, we just need to bring the same compete level for the whole game not just when we are behind,” Chen said.

The Mustangs start their regular season at home on Friday, November 4 against the Brock Badgers at Alumni Hall.  Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Follow the Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.