Hurricanes Head to Bronze Medal Game: Holland College defeats Lethbridge in CCAA qualifying match

By Amanda Doucette 

The Holland College men's basketball team secured their seats to the Bronze medal game of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Associate finals.  

In their home gym on March 18 the Hurricanes defeated the Lethbridge Kodiaks 94-89. 

The Hurricanes took the lead of the game for the first time in the third quarter. Kyle Lefave, Number 12 for the team, agrees the team played a lot stronger in the second half.   

"It was a really close game for a while, but after we took the lead,  I don't think we wanted to let it go," he said.  

Within the first minute of the first quarter, Lethbridge No. Five, Robert Myles the third, started the scoring, giving the Kodiaks a 2-0 lead.  

Their lead continued at the end of the first quarter, downing the Hurricanes 22-10. 

Lethbridge coach Ryan Heggie was proud to see the team start off strong, but didn't want them to get ahead of themselves for the rest of the game.   

"We had a lead on them but coming into the second quarter there was a lot of fouls and that gave them a lot of extra baskets." 

The Kodiaks had seven fouls in the second quarter, with Holland College only managing three.  

At half time, the Kodiaks had a close lead with 41-38.  

The Hurricanes tied up the game 46-46 with 7:45 remaining in the third quarter. Lethbridge quickly took back the lead with 7:25 remaining.  

With 5:58 on the clock, the Hurricanes stole the lead for the first time in the game. No.8, Roosevelt Whyley made the shot, taking a 52-50 lead.  

The quarter ended with the Hurricanes in the lead 65-60.  

"My mindset in the last quarter was to really keep playing them as tight as we were when we took the lead," said Lafave of the Hurricanes.  

Lefave got the first basket in the fourth, bringing their lead up 68-60.  

One of Lethbridge's players, Myles the third injured his foot with 7:43 remaining, but just before the five minute mark, he was back in the game.  

The hurricanes continued their lead and with five minutes left in the last quarter, they were up 81-67. 

Lethbridge planned a quick comeback with 17.3 seconds left, managing to score a three-pointer by No. 9 Grady Taylor  and a basket from No.23 Keanu Funa. 

The Hurricanes won the game 94-89. 

Coach Heggie said, he was still impressed with how his team played and tried to comeback in the last quarter.  

"We made it this far in the season and even though we didn't make it all the way, it was still a great run."