Kodiaks outlast Broncos in record-setting performance
The Lethbridge College Kodiaks found a way to outlast the Olds College Broncos, pulling out a 135-126 victory in double overtime at the Ralph Klein Centre on Saturday, sweeping a weekend doubleheader between the two teams.
The two teams set an ACAC record with 261 points combined, shattering the previous record of 237 originally set in 1996-97 by the TKU Eagles and Augustana University College Vikings and matched in 2013-14 by the Briercrest College Clippers and the Lakeland Rustlers.
The matchup featured a number of outstanding individual performances on both sides, headlined by a triple-double from Lethbridge's Filip Karanovic as he finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Drayden Walburger also got close to a triple-double for Lethbridge (10-5) with 32 points on 11-of-14 shooting to go with 10 assists and eight rebounds, while Mason Hoffman added 25 points, eight assists and four rebounds, and Declan Peterson posted a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds along with four assists.
For the Broncos (5-11), Gurech Gurech led the way with 28 points and seven rebounds, while Alonzo Tan completed a double-double with 27 points and 18 assists to go with three steals, and Logan Bennett posted 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds off the bench.
After a quick start for the Broncos, the Kodiaks responded with a 13-2 run midway through the first quarter to establish a 29-18 lead after 10 minutes, with Walburger and Gurech scoring 10 points in the frame for their respective teams.
The start of the second quarter saw the Broncos trim Lethbridge's lead to 36-32, only for the Kodiaks to go on a 10-1 run to re-establish a double-digit lead, eventually taking a 56-44 advantage into halftime.
Walburger again lifted the Kodiaks in the third quarter with 13 points on his own as Lethbridge extended its lead out to 16. However, the Broncos gradually started to claw back with Tan and Bennett leading the charge. The frame ended with Tan going on a solo 5-0 run, including a late three to cut the Kodiaks' lead to 85-75 heading to the fourth.
Tan and Gurech then teamed up to score 12 of the Broncos' first 14 points in the fourth to pull the Broncos back to 91-89 early in the frame, only for the Kodiaks to quickly extend their lead back to eight, with Karanovic leading the charge as part of a 14-point quarter. However, down seven with 2:47 left in regulation, the Broncos clawed back to force overtime, punctuated by a Gurech corner three with 22 seconds remaining.
The first overtime saw both teams trade baskets without solving anything; a Bennett three-pointer with 44 seconds remaining in the first extra session broke the ACAC record, but ultimately contributed to a 123-123 stalemate to force the second overtime, where the Kodiaks posted a 12-0 run to finally seal the game.
Next up, the Kodiaks will head home for a weekend doubleheader with the SAIT Trojans, while the Broncos will host the St. Mary's University Lightning to begin a weekend home-and-home. Both games will take place on Friday, February 2 at 8 p.m., and both will be available on ACACTV.ca, as well as on TELUS OptikTV channel 1998.
Players of the Game
LETH | Seth Tomasson
OLDS | Alonzo Tan