Men’s basketball wins back-to-back
By Courtnie Martin, Sports Reporter
The opening of the season was no walk in the park for the Royals, as they lost their first three games, but things are starting to look up. After Douglas pulled the chair out from underneath Columbia Bible College (CBC) in a seven-point win, spirits were running high heading into their game against Kwantlen University. In the game, several players had remarkable stats, helping Douglas to a well-deserved win.
Captain Andrew Baron led the attack with 18 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and six steals. His performance set the tone for the game on both ends of the floor. Following Baron, rookie Grant Campbell had a breakout game with a season-high 21 points which included hitting some clutch three-pointers. Rounding out the rest of the team’s scoring were Ethan McKean with 12 points, Bradyn Norris with nine points, and Dan Ghag with eight points.
“It was a pretty good game. We always have battles with Kwantlen and this time we came out fired up and ready to compete. We had a few mental breakdowns but other than that I thought we completely dominated. Having the crowd behind us is like playing six on five; they are unbelievable and raise our game to a different level,” said player of the game, Baron.
The first half of the game was very much controlled by the Royals, with the home crowd behind them every step of the way. The team held the lead the entire game, though the first quarter was a bit of scramble. Douglas gave up a few uncontested opportunities at the basket, allowing the score to be much closer than it needed to be. The ball rotation was a bit of a struggle, but they were still able to put the ball in the hole. The Eagles scored a few points off of transition play, but Douglas still took the first quarter 22-19.
The second quarter seemed much more competitive on both ends of the floor. The Eagles were desperate to catch the Royals, and Douglas was determined to put their foot down. Campbell shot a three that got the crowd out of their seats, while Baron sent some gorgeous passes in and out of the key. At half, the Royals were up five points.
In the third quarter, the intensity increased on the floor. McKean had a great assist, followed by another critical three from Campbell. The Royals began to creep away in the third, increasing their lead by 15 at one point. Going into the fourth, it was pretty clear Douglas was taking home another win in their gym. Final score: 81-66 for the Royals.
“I think we played well, coming off a mediocre game on Thursday against CBC. I came into this game looking to bounce back and I think I did. The team played great as well—everyone was contributing. Guys on the court were hustling and the guys on the bench were keeping the energy level high. It was great to see. It was a great team win,” said Campbell.
