Lions Edge Clippers in Final Moments

By Jeff Misener

The Ambrose Lions (7-7) rolled into Caronport, SK, to tip off against the Briercrest Clippers (7-6) in ACAC women's basketball action. Ambrose extended their string of victories to four with a come-from-behind 67-66 win.

Strong play from Andrijana Bokan allowed the Lions to establish a forceful presence in the paint to open the game. Ambrose's Ariana Dela Paz's connected on a long three before a slick steal-and-score from Clippers' Asia Wells and strong lefty layup from Brooklyn Martens. Wells delivered off an in-bounds play, but Tegan McArthur and Brianna Thera splashed triples for the Lions.

Thera and Clippers' Madison Beattie traded threes to open the second period. A strong inside spin move from Wells cut into the Ambrose lead before Marin Barkey and Nya Gach extended it again. The hosts cut into the Ambrose lead as Clippers' Dori Sunderland and Melissa Ellis converted layups off of steals and Ellis knocked down an open three. Wells swished an open jumper and hit a short bank shot to close the half.

Out of halftime, Barkey and Bokan completed successive hoop-and-harm plays. Triples from Beattie and Ellis and strong interior scoring from Wells and Hannah Matuszewski gave Briercrest a lead which ballooned to ten, but the Lions mounted a confident reply with patient inside scoring. 

Matuszewski had a steal and score on the opening inbounds play of the last quarter, but Gach quickly replied from outside the arc. The Clippers bullied Ambrose on the offensive boards even as they took care of business on their end. Defensively, Briercrest pestered the Lions' ballhandlers all over the court and limited Ambrose shooters to single shots. The Lions proved resilient as Bokan converted a three point play in the game's final second, allowing the Lions to steal the game.

Player of the Game for the Ambrose Lions was Andrijana Bokan who had 11 points and 13 rebounds in a winning effort. For Briercrest, Asia Wells led all scorers with 20 points.