Broncos unable to overcome early deficit in loss to SAIT

Olds College Broncos men's basketball team lost to the SAIT Trojans 118-85 in the Staff and Faculty Appreciation Game Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Ralph Klein Centre.

The game started out with teams exchanging points and Olds taking a 5-4 lead before SAIT jumped back to take an 8-5 lead. Alec Hilman stole the ball and had a layup to cut into the lead. The teams continued to keep the score close, with Muktar Mohamed bringing the Broncos an 11-10 lead. The teams kept exchanging the lead. Muktar Mohamed had some nice passing plays and Alec Hilman hit a three pointer to bring the score to 18-16 for SAIT. SAIT extended their lead to 28-18 with a minute left in the quarter before finishing the quarter with a 30-18 lead.

A beautiful cross court pass from Landon Parrington to Ben Nelson for the three pointer brought the score to 33-22 for SAIT early in the second quarter. The teams exchanged baskets before Olds took a timeout with SAIT holding a 41-26 advantage. The teams exchanged baskets to bring the score to 46-32 with 4:36 left in the half. Muktar Mohamed then took a charge to get possession of the ball for the Broncos. SAIT took a timeout with a 48-33 lead with just under three minutes left in the quarter. The teams exchanged baskets and the half ended with a 56-42 lead off a Ben Nelson three followed by a buzzer beating layup for SAIT.

The third quarter started where the first half ended, with both teams exchanging points and Olds keeping SAIT within 12-16 points, until SAIT went on a 10 point run to take a 75-53 lead half way through the quarter. The teams then exchanged baskets with Olds cutting the lead to 77-60 before SAIT went on an 8-0 run to build up an 85-60 lead. The teams exchanged baskets and SAIT finished the quarter with an 89-64 lead.

SAIT continued to build on their lead building up a 102-70 lead four minutes into the fourth quarter. SAIT continued to build their lead, up to 111-73 with 3:51 left in the game. Bailey Walz hit a nice jump shot to bring the score to 112-75. Alec Hilman had a nice steal which Landon Parrington then made a nice pass to Yallah Sumo for a basket and then he followed that up with another basket under the net to bring the score to 114-79. The Broncos continued their run with two more baskets on transition to bring the score to 114-83.

Player of the game for SAIT was Calvin Chambers with a game high 21 points and to go with six assists and a game high five steals and the Pit Barbecue Player of the Game for the Broncos was Bailey Walz with four points, two rebounds, two assist and a steal and great defensive play the whole game.

SAIT held the advantage in rebounds 34-31, assists 32-21, steals 20-8 and had the only two blocks of the game. Muktar Mohamed had a game high 21 points, Yallah Sumo and Alec Hilman had a game high nine rebounds and Alec Hilman had a game high eight assists and team high four steals for the Broncos.

The Broncos are on the road to end the first half of the season, as they head to Briercrest College and Medicine Hat College Nov. 29 and 30 respectively.

To learn more about Olds College, the Olds College Broncos and the basketball teams go to gobroncos.ca; like the Facebook page and follow @OldsBroncos on Twitter and Instagram.