Kings' attempted rally falls just short against Lions

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB - The visiting Lions came out of the gates strong Friday evening against the RDC Kings, which proved to be one of the biggest differences in the end. The home team made a few adjustments at half, including a monster 28 point fourth quarter, but just fell shy of a comeback (86-89) at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. 

The Lions roared out to a 45-33 lead at the half. Linden Jackson and Nhail Phillip had ten points each for Ambrose University. 

Tyronn King, an RDC Legal Assistant student, contributed eight points, three rebounds and one steal over two quarters.

"We had a slow start," says Kings Head Coach Darren Graham. "In the first half, we didn't pass very well through their pressure unfortunately, and we gave the ball away too much."

Anthony Harper (4) had 8 rebounds and four points

The home team tried to rally in the second half, outscoring Ambrose University 53-44, but they came within a three-pointer (86-89).

"In the second half, we drew up a bit of a design. The boys executed and got some good looks off that pressure. Cody (White), Spencer (Klassen) and Ramiro (Martinez Quintanilla Jimenez) knocked down some three's, just moving the ball through their pressure, which spurred on our third and fourth quarters," says Graham.

"The third quarter was a wash and the fourth quarter we won by nine points, but it just wasn't enough in the end. We got to do better starting with energy, so unfortunately that didn't happen tonight. That will be an adjustment that we need to make for future games."

Spencer Klassen (21) had a game high 20 points

The Kings finished with nine three-pointers. The Lions had six.

Fourth-year guard Cody White was named the Collegiate Sports Medicine Kings-Player-of-the-Game. The RDC Kinesiology Fitness-Health student accumulated nine points, two rebounds and an assist, while hitting three-of-nine from behind the arc. With 19 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist, Riley Cordwell was selected for the Lions.

Toronto's Tyronn King recorded a double-double, with 16 points and ten rebounds for RDC.

The RDC Kings won the battle on the boards (54-41). 

Ambrose University connected on 46.4 per cent of its field goals. RDC was 39.1 per cent successful. 

Jouvon Edison (12) picked up a double-double (11 points and 12 boards)

On Saturday, the Red Deer College Kings (3-2) will host the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (6-0) at 8:00 p.m. The Ambrose University Lions (3-3) will challenge the Olds College Broncos (0-5) in Calgary at the same time. 

The Kings will look to solidify a few areas for Saturday's tilt against the undefeated Kodiaks.

"I think our identity has to be good, sound defence and solid rebounding. We need to move the ball a little better on offence, through the pressure," says Graham. "Lethbridge will throw some pressure at us and they will move the ball quick, so we will have to transition on offence and defence efficiently. If we do that we should have some success."