Clippers Stage A Come From Behind Victory In Front Of Hundreds Of Loud Fans
Story and photos by Robert Thomas
It may not have been pretty and perfect but nevertheless the Briercrest Clippers got the 93 - 84 win over Concordia Thunder on Thursday evening.
The victory advances the Clippers to the A side of the ACAC (Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference) men’s basketball finals being played at Briercrest College in Caronport.
The game saw both sides score critical field goals (three point shots). The Thunder scored field goals to reduce the point spread between the two teams. While the Clippers scored field goals to ultimately win the game.
Briercrest Clippers Riley Seaborn breaks past Concordia Thunder’s Kyle Dutka - MJ Independent photo
Played before a loud capacity partisan crowd the Clippers had to battle back from a slow start that allowed the Thunder to grab a 26 - 19 lead after the First Quarter.
The Thunder came out with a series of shots deep along the baseline that the Clippers were unable to negate until about the 5:00 minute mark of the quarter.
The Second Quarter was an up and down affair as the Thunder would fall behind only to bounce back.
The Clippers battled back and managed to grab a 46 - 39 lead at the half.
The Third Quarter saw the Thunder shoot five field goals keeping pace against the Clippers. The quarter ended with the Clippers ahead 63 - 60.
The Fourth Quarter saw the Clippers respond with six field goals.
Owen Shepherd’s three field goals in a row - for nine points - helped seal the Thunder’s fate.
The final score was 93 - 84.
Briercrest Clippers Carter Waind breaks down the baseline about to go up for a shot - MJ Independent photo
Carter Waind forward for the Clippers said the team played well despite a slow start.
“We started off very slow. I think we just had some jitters that we needed to break loose. But once we broke them loose (we were OK. We’ve had a couple of games like this and I just knew we had it. We can come back from anything,” Waind told MJ Independent in the post game interview.
The Clippers in their practices leading up to the tournament reviewed game film and prepped a defence to limit the Thunder’s ability to shoot deep along the baseline.
“One of the things we did the first time (we met them in the regular season) we focused too much on their offence. But this time we focused on ourselves. That’s a big thing with our offence I think if we are shooting right we’re on,” he said.
About the Thunder managing to shoot effectively along the baseline - especially early in the game - he said “I guess we weren’t ready for that.”
Briercrest Clippers Francis Dogani (left) goes up for a shot while Concordia Thunder’s Noah Julian tries to block the attempt - MJ Independent photo
Concordia Thunder is the only team to beat the Clipoers during the regular season spoiling the Clippers perfect record. The Clippers finished the regular season 19 - 1.
Waind said defensively the Clippers shoned.
“It was unbelievable.”
Falling behind after the first was tough Waind said.
“I just wasn’t stressed like it’s a little nerve wracking when your down that much but I mean we’re grinders and we fought back,” he said.
Asked if it was nerve wracking. as a loss would move the Clippers to the tournament’s B side, Waind said it was but the Clippers were playing with confidence.
“It’s a bit nerve wracking especially since we’re hosting but it’s exciting. It gives us a bit of purpose every game.”
Briercrest Clippers Corbin Gergenbach (left) Concordia Thunder’s Milton Lendein (center) and Clippers’ Jude Shepherd-Hills fight over a rebound - MJ Independent photo
Regarding the gym at full capacity and loud partisan crowd he said it made him nervous at first but that quickly changed.
“Honestly at first I just had chills run down my my back from all of the people cheering. But it was pretty great. The more people the better,” he said.
Waind could not over stress how big the Clippers were defensively.
“Honestly our defence like we just came together as a team. We were just saying we have got to get this win. And all of a sudden our minds just switched and we kind of just locked down on defence,” he said.
The field goals the Clippers made did not go unnoticed.
“We had some big three pointers. In the fourth quarter we were down by three and Owen (Shepherd-Hills) hit three of them in a row. It was just perfect.”
Briercrest Clippers Corbin Gergenbach (right) steps past Concordia Thunder’s O’Ryan Wallace - MJ Independent photo
Clippers head coach Shane Sowden said the team had a slow start. It’s something that has been troubling the team especially lately, he said.
“It’s kind of been a thing our last few games. We start slow and then nice thing is we don’t give up. We fight vack and pull it out which is good,” Sowden said, adding “we would like to start a little bit quicker tomorrow.”
He said the slow start is something the Clippers are going to need to rectify if they hope to continue advancing in the tournament.
About the Thunder’s play from the corners Sowden said it was something the Clippers did not immediately counteract.
“Eventuality we made it hurt. We didn’t make it hurt in the first half but we did it in the second half. It was good. But it is just nice to see the guys be resilient and not give up. They’re calling the timeouts. That’s what happens when you have a veteran team like that,” Sowden said.
Concordia Thunder’s Payton Woodruff (left) attempts to contain Briercrest Clippers Oroma Bongomin - MJ Independent photo
Although the Clippers only loss of the season was to the Thunder Sowden said it’s something the team doesn’t dwell on it.
“It’s always in the back of your mind. But really we played so bad that game. We were dealing with stuff off of the court and chemistry. Really that was the turnaround of our season,” he said.
“We played our worst. They played well. We’re a different team so we’ve got a lot of confidence coming in here.”
The Clippers slow start on Thursday evening was something the Thunder took advantage of.
“If you take away the first five minutes of the game I think we win the game by 20 or 25 points. I like the last 35 minutes not the first five (minutes). We can’t do that tomorrow (on Friday). We have to come out swinging tomorrow we can’t be slow,” he said.
The Thunder’s five starters are not super tall but they are all big physically and being a veteran club their strategy is to wear their opponents down.
“Going through some tough games this season we’re like we’re good we’ve been hear before. We know we still have more which is good.”
Briercrest Clippers head coach Shane Sowden talks strategy with the team during a time out - MJ Independent photo
The large and loud crowd is something the Clippers mentally prepared for.
“Before the game I told the guys when you go out, when we start warmups, take a quick look around, take a deep breath and just be grateful,” Sowden said.
“Take it in. Then lock in on warmups…this is a pretty sweet atmosphere and again be thankful. Once that’s over our bench and in between the lines is all that matters.”
It’s something the team did again during the national anthem.
Sowden said he was pleased with the large fan turnout. There was a large number of Moose Jaw residents and high school senior basketball coaches and players in the stands.
“The last couple of years we’ve started getting more and more Moose Jaw people which is awesome…I think we’re the best kept secret on the Prairies. It’s a great show and entertaining basketball. It’s a lot of fun.”
Sowden said he’s expecting even more fans for Friday evening’s game.
“The fans are awesome,” he said.
Briercrest Clippers Jude Shepherd-Hills is trapped against the out of bounds line by Concordia Thunder’s Alex MacLean - MJ Independent photo
The large fan turnout is something Snowden said he “loves” because it allows the opportunity to showcase the campus, the team and the community.
Briercrest Clippers Oroma Bangomin (right) manages to fight off Concordia Thunder’s Noah Julien on a layup - MJ Independent photo
The Clippers now meet the NAIT Ooks - who advanced on the A side by defeating the SAIT Trojans 80 - 67 on Thursday evening.
The game between the Clippers and Ooks tips off at 8 pm tomorrow Friday February 28th at “the Hanger” Margaret P. Reimer Memorial Gymnasium in Caronport.
Play is about to go to the court floor - MJ Independent photo
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