Eoin Colquhoun, Pronghorn Athletics
Lethbridge – Leading the game from start to finish, the Lethbridge Pronghorns rebounded from a loss the previous night and picked up a weekend split with a convincing 81-44 victory over the UBC Okanagan Heat.
The win improves the Pronghorns record to 5-13 on the season and keeps their post-season hopes alive. The Heat drop to 3-13.
Pronghorn guard Katie Keith led all scorers with 15 points, while Danielle Fritzke had an efficient 14 points on 5-7 shooting, including four from long range. A night after only getting two points from their bench the Pronghorns had a far better balanced attack Saturday night, receiving 26 points from their bench.
Clare Elliott was the lone Heat player to register double digits with 11 points and Chloe Kennedy chipped in with nine.
On the night, the 'Horns had one of their best shooting performances of the season, hitting on 13 long range shots and were 48.4%. The Heat had a tough night shooting only 25% and hit only two of their 24 three point attempts.
From the opening tip, the Pronghorns were clicking on all cylinders in the opening half scoring at a rate that they have not seen this season. Hitting all four of their shots taken in the early going, the Horns opened an 11-6 lead and their hot start would continue. At the end of the opening quarter the Pronghorns were a perfect 5 for 5 from behind the arc and shot the ball 66.7% as a team, building a 25-16 advantage.
Sitting at the bottom of the conference in scoring, one would think that the Pronghorns would cool off in the second but their strong shooting night continued. On the season, the Pronghorns are averaging 58.5 points per game and at the half the Pronghorns had nearly matched that mark, leading 47-26.
In the half, the Pronghorns hit nine threes and finished with a shooting percentage of 58.6%, well above their season average of 33.3%. The Heat could just not match the 'Horns pace, shooting 30.3% and were only 2 of 13 from behind the arc.
Danielle Fritzke led the way for the Pronghorns with 9 points, without missing a shot, making three from long range. Katie Keith had eight and Teesha Olson and Zoe Dahl each had seven points.
Claire Elliott was the Heat's leading scorer at the half with seven points and a night after scoring a game high 28 points, Chloe Kennedy had a tough first half going one for five.
Any thought of a second half Heat comeback was put to rest in the third quarter, as the Pronghorns continued their strong offensive effort, and for the third straight quarter scored more than 20 points and went into the final quarter with a comfortable 68-42 lead.
While the Pronghorns were unable to match their offensive output of the previous three quarters, they still expanded their lead outscoring the Heat 13-2 in the final quarter.
The Pronghorns now head into their bye week and will return to action in two weeks, traveling to Edmonton to face the 14-2 Alberta Pandas. The Heat will be back in Alberta next weekend, heading up to Edmonton to face the MacEwan Griffins.