Eagles outlast Quest in rough, rowdy tournament action

The game was rough and the crowd was rowdy as the Kwantlen men’s basketball team beat Quest University 65-58 at the Blues Classic Basketball Tournament, hosted by Capilano University, on Saturday night.

Eagle Sam Asiedu, a first-year guard called it an ugly game. “There were bodies flying everywhere…it was scrappy, really scrappy,” said Asiedu.

The score was tied 50-50 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, and with three minutes to go and a score of 58-52 for the Eagles, the tension was palpable. 

Nick Lefleur, a guard for the Eagles, was able to bring up the score two points to 62 with 44 seconds left in the game to the delight of the cheering crowd.

Kevin Van Buskirk, one of the Eagles three assistant coaches, said the team “played alright.” The first five minutes were a struggle, but after that the men “picked it up,” according to Van Buskirk. 

Quest scored the first five points of the game but by the end of the first quarter the Eagles were one point up. 

The second quarter saw big gains and the Eagles were up eight points after a series of quick breakaways, but Quest came back, adding five points in a matter of minutes to chants of “defense” from the Kwantlen supporting crowd. Kwantlen then finished the period off with a shot, adding three points in a matter of two seconds. 

The third quarter saw a spectacular fall by Omid Davani, a first-year guard, and ended in a 46-46 tie after Quest added three points in the last 18 seconds. 

Coach Van Buskirk was hoping for three wins in the tournament, but the Eagles lost their game against Columbia Bible College, 71-64, Sunday morning.

The Eagles had won the first game, against Camosun College, by a one-point margin, 62-61.

Next week the men are off to the Douglas College Tournament.