10/22/2011 - Basketball you have to love it.

Keyano College Huskies men’s basketball open the 2011-2012  Alberta College Athletic Conference regular season Friday with a 82-46 trouncing of the visiting Concordia Thunder.

How does one top that the next day Saturday in game two of the weekend series?

How about an 86-85 overtime win!

A win that was on shaky ground as the upstart Thunder from Edmonton, coached by Paul Sir, dominated the opening first half thanks to quicksilver guard Richard Kyungu with the Huskies taking their first lead on a Louis Barham free throw with 45.3 remaining to go up 35-34 and then head into the lockeroom tied at 39.

The Huskies needed two minutes into the third quarter to take their first three point lead with a Kevin Dia three-pointer. Another Dia bomb gave the Huskies their biggest advantage 47-41.

With a rugged front line, the Thunder muscled back 58-56 with 47.3 remaining in the third.

The final four minutes of regulation was highlighted by back-to-back hoops by Barham, one a two-handed dunk, and back-to-back three pointers from Santo Harun.

With 5.7 seconds left in regulation Thunder’s Jacob Wojcicki used his extra bulk to back down Huskies' Jesse Brave Rock to tie the game 77-77.

A desperation off balanced 16-foot jumper missed the mark for Huskies Zach Alger-Waldher at the buzzer sending the game into overtime to the delight of the 217 fans in attendance at the CNRL gymnasium inside the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre.

With the Thunder double teaming Alger-Waldher (who scored 19 points Friday), the feisty guard found teammate and best friend Barham at the 3 point line for a left hand follow through and swish to open the five minute overtime.

Tied at 85 with 22.4 second remaining Dia is fouled on a loose ball and puts the game away with a free throw.

Brave Rock got MVP honours for the home team with six blocks. Thunder MVP was Kyungu with 14 points.

Top scorer for the Huskies was Barham with 24 points and nine boards. Alger-Waldher had 18 points.

Milos Prijovic lead the Thunder with 23 points and 12 boards.

Huskies next games are Oct. 28-29 against the host NAIT Ooks.

Huskies Demaine Nelson goes high for a reverse layup. Nelson had five boards and 11 points in 13 minutes.

Photo by Ewrin Kuhr