For all but four minutes of their game against the Langara College Falcons, the Dinos men’s basketball team looked great–they just couldn’t finish. The final score was a 73-66 Dinos loss in a game they should have won.
The University of Calgary didn’t get off to a great start, but an even poorer performance from Langara helped the Dinos to a 26-23 half-time lead. When the teams came out for the second half, the Dinos started out great. Thanks to solid rebounding and scoring punch from Richie Gill and Chris Harris, Calgary amassed what looked like an insurmountable lead. The Dinos led by 15 points with four and a half minutes left, but lost their focus and Langara started to chip away at the lead. The score changed from 60-45 to a 64-64 draw in only two and a half minutes, thanks to 14 unanswered points by the visiting Falcons. In the end, poor shooting and turnovers did in the Dinos. They lost the game 73-66 on a day when they looked like the better team.
"We needed to focus," said third-year centre Harris. "We had the game won, but we let up towards the end."
Harris had a strong game leading the Dinos in both scoring (13 points.) and rebounding (seven rebounds.). His contributions stopped, though, after he committed five fouls to earn an early exit from the game.
"I need to finish. better," Harris added. That holds true not only for him, but also the rest of the team. The Dinos have many talented players this year and with some hard work on the physical and mental aspects of the game can still have a successful season.
The next challengers will be the Medicine Hat College Rattlers, this Friday. The tip off is at 7:30 p.m. in the Jack Simpson Gymnasium.