Queens win back-to-back, Kings split their weekend with the Trojans
Calgary, October 22, 2023 – The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens use a fourth-quarter surge to defeat the SAIT Trojans to start their season with back-to-back victories. But the Kings would split the weekend with the Trojans as they fell to defeat in the Jack Simpson Gymnasium in Calgary.
Please see below for more information regarding each match this afternoon.
Women's Basketball – Queens 73 at SAIT Trojans 69
The Queens used the momentum they gained from Friday night's win against the Trojans in the early goings of their rematch on Sunday afternoon. RDP was using their height to their advantage in the first few minutes of the game which led to a couple of big blocks and buckets in the paint from forward Peighton Melton (Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies). But as the quarter went on the Trojans shook off their rust and started draining a couple of three-pointers. This sparked their offence as they found themselves down by just two points at the end of the quarter.
A free throw miss by guard Heena Sidhu (Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies) with 5.5 seconds left to play in the half proved to be quite effective as guard Tricia Madourie (Open Studies) picked up the rebound. She sent it over to forward Jayden Demchuk (Practical Nursing Diploma) who would drain a three-pointer just before the buzzer signaled the end of the half with the Queens up 43-35. With the three-pointer, Demchuk was leading the team with 11 points at the half, but guard Sandra Garcia-Bernal (Educational Assistant) was right behind her with 10 of her own,
But the Queens did not get the start they wanted in the second half with multiple turnovers leading to points for the Trojans as they looked to crawl back into this game after being outscored in the first half. RDP was held to zero shots by SAIT in the first three minutes which led to three consecutive buckets to make it a two-point game, forcing Head Coach Avery Harrison to call a timeout. This did not stop the Trojans from taking their first lead of the game since scoring the first bucket of their home opener. Sidhu would score the Queens first bucket of the half, six minutes into the third quarter to finally stop the bleeding. But the Trojans still carried a three-point lead into the final quarter.
With half a quarter left to go, the Queens finally would regain the lead as Melton got back on the scoreboard with a layup in the paint to put them up by just one. But in the final two minutes of the game, the Trojans were able to tie it up, but the Queens would answer back on the next possession to regain their lead. SAIT could not bounce back from this despite their last-minute effort as RDP would take the second of the home-and-home series 73-69 to start their season with two consecutive victories.
Guard Heena Sidhu was named the Queens player of the game with 16 points and eight assists in the win. The Polytechnic will be back at home next week Friday as they host the Ambrose University Lions at 6 pm.
Men's Basketball – Kings 86 at SAIT Trojans 104
It was a fast start for both teams in the opening quarter as they combined for 55 points in the first ten minutes of this Sunday afternoon matchup. But it was the Trojans who went into the second quarter with a 33-22 lead over the Kings.
However, in a lower-scoring quarter, the Polytechnic bounced back holding SAIT to just 18 points while scoring 25 to cut the lead down to just four points at halftime. Guard Efe Iyamu (Open Studies) led the Kings at the half with 14 points.
The Kings would take this momentum into the second half as they continued to hold the Trojans to under 20 points for the second consecutive quarter while scoring 20 points to take a one-point lead into the final 10 minutes of this game.
But it did not take long for the Trojans to diminish and retake the lead as they scored four points in the opening minute. As the quarter went on, SAIT would slowly increase their lead and not let the Kings back into the game with the Trojans finishing on top with a score of 104-86 to split the weekend with the Polytechnic.
The Kings player of the game was awarded to guard Efe Iyamu (Open Studies) who finished the afternoon with 19 points. Centre Jose Mauro (Business Certificate) had another big night with 23 points and 11 rebounds to finish the weekend with a double-double.
Mauro and the Kings will be back in action starting at home next Friday as they host the Ambrose University Lions at 8 pm in the first game of the home-and-home series.