MBB | Kodiaks title dreams dashed in heartbreaker

March 5, 2020 – After a 20-1 regular season, the Kodiaks men’s basketball team entered this week’s ACAC championships as title favourites. 

Instead, they ran into a hot shooting underdog and fell victim to a March madness upset.

Sean-Michae Clancey had a game high 39 points, including 6-11 3PT shooting, to help the NAIT Ooks soar to a quarter-final upset.

NAIT entered as the fourth ranked team in the north after finishing the regular season with a 14-10 record, but looked nothing like an underdog from the opening tip-off.

The Ooks shot over 57% from beyond the arc (12-21), including five first-quarter threes that helped set the tone as they built a quick 15-7 lead.

Despite a slow start, Lethbridge kept battling back and only trailed by two at the half. The Kodiaks then seemed to find their rhythm in the third quarter, taking a slight advantage thanks to key contributions from Orin Porter Jr. and Chase Bohne who each finished the game with 22 points.

In the end, it was the final five minutes that defined the game.

Lethbridge owned an 88-82 lead with just 4:44 to play, forcing an Ooks timeout. NAIT responded by scoring the next nine points, and then converted a pair of steals to help them build a lead that quickly became insurmountable. As the game began to get out of reach, Lethbridge simply wasn’t able to knock down a shot from distance.

Clancey was unstoppable in the fourth quarter, launching 16 of his points in the final frame which included a trio of three pointers. He was also 10 for 10 from the free throw line over the final ten minutes.

The Ooks were far more effective at getting to the line, heading to the stripe 36 times compared to just eleven times for the Kodiaks. 

NAIT’s game plan included being physical with Brock Dewsbery, who was named the ACAC player of the year on Wednesday. Dewsbery had a tooth nearly knocked out in the first quarter but was able to stay in the game and still managed to knock down 16 points, including five in the second half. He went to the foul line just once all game despite taking major contact on multiple drives to the net.

Lethbridge will now play host Augustana in the second consolation semi-final on Friday, with tip-off set for 3 p.m. Fans can catch the game on ACACTV.ca, with a small fee applying.