Kings will play for bronze on Saturday

After a strong opening day performance at the ACAC Men's Basketball Championship, the Red Deer College Kings faced a familiar opponent on Friday, the SAIT Trojans. Coach Pottinger forecasted a tight game between the 2 teams, and he was right. The RDC Kings controlled the 1st half of the game but the SAIT Trojans came on in the 2nd half and picked up a 94-83 win.

Once again, the RDC Kings started strongly and opened the game on a 6-0 run. The Kings started to heat up from long distance and hit several 3 pointers. Shayne Stumpf was effective in the paint and created options for the Kings' offence. At the end of the 1st quarter, the RDC Kings led 28-17. 

The diversity of the Kings' offence created problems for the Trojans' defenders in the early stages. At 1 point in the 2nd quarter, the RDC Kings drained a total of 7-of-15 from behind the 3-point arc. The Trojans went 0-for-6 from the 3-point line during the same stretch. As the quarter progressed, SAIT started to hit more of their shots and outscored RDC by 3 points (22-19). At the half, the RDC Kings led 47-39. Spencer Klassen scored 14 points for the Kings but the offence was balanced. Shayne Stumpf picked up 12 points and Ian Tevis stacked up 10. John Smith led the Trojans with 13. As a team, the Kings accumulated 18 rebounds compared to 16 by the Trojans.

In the 3rd quarter, SAIT started to chip away at the Kings' lead. The Trojans scored 23 points while the Kings responded with 18. After 3 quarters, the RDC Kings led 65-62. Klassen led the Kings with 17 points. John Smith had 17 for the Trojans.

It was a game of momentum swings and in the 4th quarter the SAIT Trojans pulled ahead. RDC valiantly tried to rally but time expired. SAIT outscored RDC 32-18 in the final quarter and picked up a 94-83 win. Ian Tevis picked up 14 points in the quarter for a game total of 29. For the Trojans, John Smith scored 13 in the 4th quarter for a total of 30. The RDC Kings will play for bronze on Saturday. 

Spencer Klassen was named the Kings player-of-the-game. The Bachelor of Education (Elementary) student finished with 17 points, 2 steals, 3 assists and 2 rebounds. 

Kings Basketball Head Coach Clayton Pottinger liked how the Kings opened the 1st quarter but was disappointed in the ending. 

"We had a good start to the game but it was a weaker finish and perhaps some fatigue set in," said Pottinger.

The Kings will face either Medicine Hat College or Lethbridge College on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. for bronze.