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RDC Kings nab win in buzzer-beater finish

Kings 87 Clippers 85
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RDC Kings fourth-year guard Tyronn King drops a floater overtop of a Briercrest College Clippers defender Friday in a win at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. (Photo by BYRON HACKETT/Advocate Staff)

Kings 87 Clippers 85

RDC Kings guard Cody White got the ball off the inbound pass with just 3.4 seconds and didn’t hesitate.

Frankly, there was no time for that.

He cut straight to the key from the sideline and with uncanny vision, found third-year forward Kevin Szymanek under the basket, who laid the ball up uncontested with 0.1 seconds left on the clock.

“We did draw it up to get Cody in the corner and Kevin set a screen. It was Cody’s creativity and offence prowess to make that pass and Kevin’s determined finish,” said RDC Kings coach Darren Graham.

That buzzer-beater bucket helped the Kings earn an 87-85 victory over the Briercrest College Clippers at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, after RDC nearly handed the game over to the visitors in the fourth quarter.

The home side led by as many as 19 points, with the Clippers closing the deficit to just five points at halftime. The Kings got the lead back up to nine heading into the fourth quarter, but let Briercrest run wild on offence in the fourth as the game was slipping away.

Kings fourth-year guard Tyronn King hit a deep two with nine seconds left to put the Kings up two, but the Clippers came right back and hit a layup to tie it at 85.

That set up the winning White to Szymanek connection for the win.

“I thought we played really well as a team. We had a good start which hasn’t happened in the last few games. We got out to a 19-point lead and they brought it to within five at halftime,” said Graham.

“They battled, one of their leading players was injured for the game, that was tough on them. They rallied and they hit some big three-point shots that hurt us down the stretch, but ultimately our guys toughed it out.”

King and White combined to lead the way for RDC, each had 21 points in the victory. King added six rebounds, six steals and five assists and was player of the game.

Kings fifth-year guard Spencer Klassen was also big in the win with 18 points. RDC shot 37 per cent from three-point range and 44 per cent from the field. They were also much improved from last week at the free throw line, hitting on 78.6 per cent of their shots.

Brandon Tolentino was the Clippers player of the game, he had 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the loss.

The Kings host the Clippers at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.



Byron Hackett

About the Author: Byron Hackett

Byron has been the sports reporter at the advocate since December of 2016. He likes to spend his time in cold hockey arenas accompanied by luke warm, watered down coffee.
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