By Scott Roblin

Rattlers men’s basketball team handed first loss of season in Lethbridge

Oct 27, 2018 | 12:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Medicine Hat College’s men’s basketball team is undefeated no more, losing their first game of the season on Friday night in Lethbridge.

The Rattlers struggled to mount a comeback against the Lethbridge College Kodiaks on the road, being outgunned in the fourth quarter en-route to a 103-92 loss.

Both Josh Magpantay and Osato Obaseki came out flying in the first quarter for Medicine Hat, combining for 15 points to help put the Rattlers ahead 26-21 at the break.

Aside from nine points from Jon Sappleton however, the Rattlers struggled to put up points in the second quarter and went into halftime trailing the Kodiaks 48-46.

Lethbridge entered the second half with some jump in their game and building their lead to 10 points, before Obaseki and Lethbridge’s Jett Steff were involved in an altercation and eventually ejected.

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Jusci Thompson came through off the bench with 12 points in the third quarter alone, keeping Medicine Hat in the contest down by just two points.

The Kodiaks proved to be too much to handle in the fourth quarter, hitting 12 of their 16 shot attempts to take down the previously undefeated Rattlers by an 11 point margin.

Playing just 11 minutes against the Kodiaks, Thompson tied for the team lead with 20 points and added a pair of rebounds and assists to his totals.

Despite dropping their first game of the season, the 3-1 Rattlers are still tied with the SAIT Trojans and Ambrose University Lions for tops in the South Division with six points.

Great defence powered the Rattlers women’s team to their fourth victory of the year meanwhile, topping Lethbridge by a 76-45 victory in the early game.

Medicine Hat got off to a slow start with the Kodiaks leading by five points midway through the quarter, but six points by Jordyn Kearley off the bench cut the Rattlers deficit to 15-14 after the opening 10 minutes.

That momentum carried over to the second quarter for Medicine Hat, going hard at the net and drawing a number of fouls against Lethbridge while limiting the Kodiaks to only six points.

Guard Kendell Kuntz knocked down three baskets and a free throw over the course of the second quarter, putting Medicine Hat in the lead at halftime 38-21.

Kuntz really caught fire in the third quarter by hitting all four of her shots from the floor, adding another 12 points to her totals and helping the Rattlers extend their lead to 31 points after three quarters.

Medicine Hat utilized their bench in the fourth quarter with a win all but guaranteed, earning 11 points from their role players like Hayley LePard, Abygail LaRochelle, Alexa Wandler, Paige Cooper, and Kearley.

Getting over half of their points on the night from bench players, Kearley had her best game of the season with an 18 point performance in just 18 minutes of action.

Rolling to a 76-45 win, the 4-0 Rattlers remain the only undefeated team in ACAC action and hold a two point lead for first place in the South Division.

Getting ready to play their entire November schedule on the road, the Rattlers teams will head to Olds College on Friday to take on the Broncos for a pair of games.