Garcia-Bernal scores eleven, but Rattlers pick up home win

Brent Forster - RDC

It was a very quick turnaround from Friday night's game in Saskatchewan, and Saturday afternoon the Red Deer College Queens Basketball team hit the hardwood to face the Rattlers in Medicine Hat. After a very close first half, the Rattlers started to pull away in the latter half and won by 20 points.

Medicine Hat College held a slight 14 - 12 edge after the opening quarter. Maya Parker contributed 7 points, 2 steals and 3 rebounds in the quarter. In the second quarter, each team scored 9 points and Medicine Hat led 23 – 21 at the half. Eva Bonde scored 5 points in the second quarter for the Queens. The Rattlers scored 41 second half points while the Queens responded with 23. Medicine Hat picked up a 64 – 44 win on their home court. Sandra Garcia-Bernal accumulated 11 points, 1 steal, and 2 rebounds in the second half for RDC. Mary Krause, a Bachelor of Education student from Wetaskiwin, finished the game with 6 points, 3 blocks, 1 steal and 8 rebounds. As a team, the RDC Queens accumulated 33 rebounds.

Queens Basketball Head Coach Ken King felt that a lull in the third quarter was costly. "We felt good about our game plan and our execution by half-time, but our poor start in the third quarter really cost us," said King. 

Garcia-Bernal, a first-year guard from Valencia, Spain, was named the player-of-the-game for the Queens, and King was pleased with her play. "Sandra had a good game. She contributed at both ends of the court and was especially strong on the defensive side," said King. "Sandra was very effective when she was on the attack."

In two weeks, the Red Deer College Queens will play a pair of games at home. The Queens (1 - 3) will compete against the Ambrose University Lions (1 - 2) on Friday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. On Saturday, November 18, the RDC Queens will host the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (1 - 2) at 6:00 p.m.