Thunder edge Women's Basketball Huskies in battle of top ACAC sides

In the first home game of the 2023 season for the Keyano Huskies Women's Basketball team, the Concordia Thunder spoiled the party with a 57-47 victory Friday night at the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre.  
 
"I thought we actually played pretty good," Head Coach Dwayne Vigilance said. "Despite that we lost the basketball game by 10, we were five-for-19 from the free throw line, we missed probably about 12 layups in the second half. Right there is the basketball game.  
 
"When you play good teams like Concordia, you've got to capitalize on those possessions." 

The Huskies and Thunder were going toe-to-toe for the first half of the game as the Thunder won the first quarter 10-7, but the Huskies countered with a 17-14 second quarter to tie things up at 24 at the half.  
 
In the second half, the Thunder legged out a 20-17 third quarter lead against the Huskies to carry the advantage into the fourth quarter.  
 
As Vigilance alluded to, the Huskies had trouble getting going in the fourth quarter, knocking down a pair of three-point shots on 17 total attempts from the field in the final quarter. They also missed all four free throws they attempted in the final quarter.  
 
"I'm ready and excited for the rematch," Vigilance said after the loss. "We knew that we had similar styles and we're similar teams. It depends on our attitude and how confident we come into tomorrow." 
 
Maja Besic led all Huskies players with 12 points. Zera Lynn Panesa, Joy Victor, and Kayla Lutterodt were within striking distance of double digits, finishing with nine, eight, and seven points respectively.   
  
While the Huskies shot better from the field, going 20-for-57 (35.1 percent), they made just two of 10 three-point shots attempted. They also converted just five of 19 free throw attempts throughout the game.   

Keneisha Nepinak of the Huskies and Lauren Tetteh-Wayoe of the Thunder were named the Players of the Game for their respective sides.   
  
The two sides will face each other in a rematch Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre in Fort McMurray, Alta.