MBB Weekend Recap | November 16 & 17, 2018
After two tough losses last weekend, the Lakeland Rustlers Men's Basketball team looked to get back in the win column this past weekend as they took on The King's University Eagles.
The Rustlers hit the floor in Lloydminster Friday night, ready to take on the Eagles. Both teams came out ready to play, in a hard-fought, quick paced first quarter. After ten minutes of play, the Eagles led the Rustlers 27-21. In the second quarter, the Rustlers locked in on the defensive end of the floor, limiting the Eagles to 11 points in the quarter, while scoring 27 of their own.
At the half, the Rustlers had taken the lead, 48-38. The Rustlers pulled away in the third, doubling the Eagles scoring in the quarter 28-14. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Rustler led 76-52. The lead the Rustlers had built up proved to be too much for the Eagles to overcome, as the Rustlers went on to win 98-75.
The Rustlers were led by second year guard Rashon Russell with 29 points, six rebounds and three assists, while fourth year forward Artavis Holiday added 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Third year guard Adrian Richards had a strong game for the Rustlers with 13 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Player of the Game fourth year guard Akeem Phillips had 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Saturday night, the teams faced off in the rematch in Edmonton. The Rustlers came out strong, despite only having seven players dressed for the game, and took a 22-14 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Rustlers locked in defensively, holding the Eagles to just 11 points, and went off on the offensive end scoring 29 points, giving them a 51-25 lead at the half.
The Eagles started to find their stride in the third quarter, putting up 24 points in the quarter, but the Rustlers matched their scoring with 23 points of their own. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Rustlers led 74-49. In the fourth, the Rustlers were outscored by two but had built enough of a lead early in the game to defeat the Eagles 96-73.
The Rustlers were led by Holiday with 28 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, and two steals, earning him Player of the Game. Third year guard Brandon Isaac had 17 points, five steals, three rebounds and two assists for the Rustlers, while Richards added 16 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
The Rustlers (4-6) have a bye next weekend, before taking on the Grande Prairie Wolves (4-4) the following weekend in the final games of the first semester. Tipoff is set for 8 pm on November 30th and 3 pm on December 1st.