Kings surge in fourth, drop Rattlers as Klassen becomes all-time scoring leader

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB - History was made at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre Friday evening. Fifth-year guard Spencer Klassen became the Kings all-time leading scorer while also leading his squad to an important 80-72 home victory. With the win the Red Deer College Kings remain right in the playoff hunt. 

RDC led 27-18 after ten minutes but Medicine Hat College took a 19-10 edge in the second quarter. The teams were even 37-37 at the half.

"I thought it was a great first quarter," says Kings Head Coach Darren Graham. "It was sloppy in the second and third."

At the break, Kevin Szymanek and Spencer Klassen scored seven points each for the Kings.

Kieron Burgess led the Rattlers with eight points.

At the half, the Kings shot 41.4 per cent from the field, 28.6 from three and 81.8 from the line.

The Rattlers countered with 42.4 per cent, 27.3 and 66.7.

On the strength of a 27 point final quarter, the RDC Kings knocked down 43 points in the latter half. The Rattlers scored 35 in the final two quarters and the Kings solidified an 80-72 home win.

"We kind of gutted it out in the fourth quarter. Some key players made some key plays," says Graham. "Ramiro made some key shots, got some key rebounds on the offensive end."

Ramiro Martinez Quintanilla Jimenez accumulated 16 points, seven rebounds (four offensive and three defensive), and two assists. 

"Tyronn King hit some key jump shots and Spencer Klassen got to the foul line and made them count," states Graham. "We made the plays when we needed to make them. Not our best game in terms of efficiency, but at the same time the guys worked hard and were resilient enough to get the W."

King (13) went 50 per cent from the field

Off the bench Tyronn King had 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal. 

Collegiate Sports Medicine Kings Player-of-the-Game Spencer Klassen contributed 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Bachelor of Education Elementary student made six-of-eight from the free-throw line in 37 minutes, and bumped his total points to 1189, which passed the previous Kings' leader Derek Zaharko (1179) by ten. 

"Spencer is a consummate athlete. He bleeds green. He does everything he can on and off the court for the school and the RDC Basketball program. He has been a mainstay for the last five years and he's been a huge reason for their success. I'm super proud of him and his accomplishments," says Graham.

"I had the privilege of playing with Derek Zaharko, who is a great player and it just shows the tenacity, longevity and hard-work that Spencer has put into his game that he can surpass that record. So good on him. Congratulations."

Kieron Burgess, who earned the Rattlers Player-of-the-Game, totaled 17 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks over 40 minutes. He hit five out of 12 from the field. 

Over four quarters, the RDC Kings shot 38.8 per cent from the field, 31 from beyond the arc and 76 from the line. The Medicine Hat College Rattlers responded with 41 per cent, 16.7 and 59.4 respectively.

Both squads had 43 rebounds.

The RDC Kings share fourth spot in the south with St. Mary's University (7-9) and Ambrose University (7-7). Briercrest College (8-6) sits alone in third with 16 points.

On Saturday at 3:00 pm, the Kings (7-7) and Rattlers (2-13) will play a rematch. 

"Number 11, Burgess, is a great rebounder so we just have to keep him off the glass on Saturday," says Graham. "We have to make sure that we are as scrappy as him in cleaning up those loose balls."

Celebrating Klassen's record