One Step Closer

The Lakeland College Rustlers women's basketball team moved one-step closer to a playoff spot with a 58-52 win over the Augustana Vikings in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference play at the Lakeland gym on Friday night.

With the victory the Rustlers (11-10) move four points ahead of the Vikings (9-10) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North division. The Rustlers close regular season play with a two-game set against the Grande Prairie Wolves next weekend at the Lakeland gym. 

The Vikings are in Concordia next week to face the Thunder and finish off their regular season with a two-game series against the NAIT Ooks the following week.

Both teams came into the game near the mid-pack in terms of offensive output but there wasn't much offence in evidence during the opening 20 minutes. In fact, there was a stretch of nearly four minutes in the first quarter where neither team scored. In fact, it took nearly two minutes for the first point to be scored in the game. Layups and open looks be damned, there was a glass bubble on the rim for both teams.

The Rustlers built a 23-21 lead at the break. In the first half the Rustlers shot 33 per cent from the field while the Vikings shot 38 per cent.

"We were so bad in the first half … " Rustlers head coach Chris King said. "It was bad basketball on both sides. We came out on the second half with a more decisive plan, as a team, and the girls executed better."

As is the case on most nights that 'plan' usually involves Shaunike Lee. The Brentwood, Calif., native had five points in the first half but finished with a game-high 23 by the time the post-game handshakes were finished. The guard also went 11 for 12 from the line.

The coach was quick to point out post-game the Lee performance was what he envisioned when he picked up the transfer student from Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers.

"I thought Lee was super aggressive getting to the rim," King said. "She got us a lot of quality looks and got us to the free-throw line and were a little bit more physical boxing out and that gave us the cushion. In the first half we were soft and I thought they dictated play even though we had a small lead."

"It was a huge win," Lee said with a smile. "These two games (against the Vikings) will help us get into the playoffs. Our big focus this weekend is to win these games and get our official spot in the playoffs."

In what has become a reoccurring theme in the second semester is the teams ability to play with their backs to the basket. Once again, the defence was the star of the night. In 10 games since the start of the second semester the defence has kept the opponent to 60 points or less in seven games.

"It's all personnel, it's all energy and athleticism and that's what keeping our team in every game," Lee said about what makes the defence so successful. "We might not be able to score (enough on some nights) but, at the end of the day, our defence is saving the games and helping us get the wins."

On Saturday night the Rustlers gave it right back to the Vikings in a 74-51 defeat in Canmore. 

With the win the Viking (10-10) climb to within one victory of the Rustlers (11-11) for the fourth and final spot in the ACAC north division playoff chase.

Taiya Paylor had 15 points in the loss and Shania Magnusson added 14. The Rustlers played with eight players. The club shot 31 per cent from the field

Gordon Anderson

Posted: February 13, 2017