Kwantlen basketball equals epic fail

By Kyle Benning
[sports bureau chief]

Men–

The New Year hasn’t been a celebration for the Kwantlen Eagles.

Similar to their female counterparts, the men’s basketball team has only beaten the Columbia Bible Bearcats, which was on Nov. 20.

The main problem for Bernie Love’s team this season is the ability to close out games.

The Eagles have been at the end of six defeats by 10 points or less, including a 69-68 loss to the Capilano Blues in North Vancouver on Jan. 14. If those six defeats were wins, the men would have a record of 7-7, and would have a good chance at making the provincials.

Instead, Love will have to spend his last days as coach trying to stay away from the bottom of the pile.

The only thing keeping them off of the bottom is the fact they have been able to keep the games respectable, and have a point differential of -150. The Bearcats have a point differential of -378.

To make matters even worse, they have been without one of their starting point guard Doug Meyers since the turn of the year.

Without Meyers, Kwantlen lost a natural leader, and player who can average around 15 points per game.

He was also part of the BCCAA Men’s Basketball All-Rookie Team last year.

However, the team is still young and none of the players are in their third year yet.

It gives us something to look forward to over the next couple of seasons.

Women –

The women’s basketball team hasn’t won a league game in 2011.

To make matters even worse, they have only beat one team, the Columbia Bible College Bearcats.

When Matthew McKay’s squad sets up against the Bearcats, they can get the job done without any issues. But when they play anyone else, the Eagles fold like a house of cards.

Last weekend’s home game against the Quest Kermodes was the perfect example.

The Eagles were playing a team that used quick passing and speed, and they couldn’t keep up.

The passes cut through the zone defence with relative ease, and defenders looked like pylons every time they played state defence. In the first half against the Kermodes on Feb. 4, the Eagles couldn’t contain Ruth Thanert, who put away 20 points. The Kermodes put up 31 points in the first frame alone.

This game sums up the team’s season. It doesn’t look like they can compete in this league.

They might not be in last place, but there is a 10 point difference between the bottom three teams and the rest of the pack.

The only thing keeping Kwantlen from one of the bottom two is the fact that the Douglas Royals and the Bearcats haven’t won a game this season.

The Eagles play the Royals in their last home games of the season in a double-header on Feb. 18 and 19. The women could end their season on a high note.