David Kent, Griffins Athletics
Edmonton, AB…..The MacEwan University Griffins men's basketball team defeated the UNBC Timberwolves, 85-68, to clinch the third and final Explorer Division post season berth. The Griffins record improves to 10-9, with one last regular season game tomorrow night against UNBC at the City Centre Campus gymnasium. The Timberwolves record falls to 3-16.
The Griffins came out strong tonight and played tremendous defense holding the UNBC Timberwolves to 23 first half points while building a quick first quarter double digit lead which they built on all night. The Griffins shot 55 percent in the first half led by Denzel James, a fourth year Arts major, from Edmonton, AB with 16 points. Thadius Galvez, a third year Arts major, from Ogden, UT, also hit for 12 first half points, as MacEwan University Griffins led by 24 points at the intermission.
The top Timberwolves at the break were Anthony Hokanson, Vancouver, BC and Vaggelis Loukas, Athens, Greece both with eight points.
The third quarter started with MacEwan University continuing to shoot well, hitting 55 percent of their shots to expand the lead to 30 points, the biggest lead of the night. In the fourth quarter Coach Eric Magdanz gave his bench an opportunity to play as all 12 men dressed saw at least five minutes of action tonight. The Griffins would win by 17 points to secure their first ever Canada West post season berth.
James and Galvez led all Griffins in scoring with 16 points each. James was named the Griffins "Player of the Game" for his first half heroics. Veteran senior Ryan May, Daysland, AB scored nine points in his final home regular season weekend at the CCC.
"I wanted to play meaningful basketball right up to the final game of my senior year. I wanted my MacEwan University career to end with the team making some school history and we did tonight!" said the fifth year captain.
Overall MacEwan University shot 51 percent for the night and pulled down 31 total rebounds, led by Chris Mooney, a fourth year General Studies major, from Ottawa, ON with seven.
The Timberwolves top scorer was Marcus McKay, Terrace, BC with a team high 17 points. Colin Plumb, Pitt Meadows, BC pulled down a team high 10 rebounds.
"We wanted to make playoffs because of our effort, energy and record. It was our goal at the start of year and to have the opportunity to host a playoff series, it is a great accomplishment for our program to see this goal come through," commented Magdanz.
Photo Credit: Len Joudrey, Griffins Athletics
The MacEwan University Griffins are the 16 athletic teams that represent MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, in seven sports. The university's teams are members of Canadian Interuniversity Sport and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, and compete in the Canada West Universities Athletics Association and Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Fifty-four members, 10,000 student-athletes and 550 coaches vie for 19 national championships in 11 different sports. The CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, and 27 World University Championships.
For further information on the MacEwan University Griffins please contact David Kent, at 780-497-5324 or by email at kentd22@macewan.ca and Junelle Mah, at 780-289-3037 or by email at mahj67@macewan.ca.