First Game

[50's PONY]

Sun, October 12:
Simon Fraser University guard Pasha Bains scored 33-points and almost led the Clan to a shocking overtime win over NCAA Division 1 Southern Methodist University Mustangs Saturday at SFU. The Clan lost 79-77 in overtime only after Bains' end-to-end lay-in rimmed out and centre Mike Klizs' put-back missed at the overtime buzzer.


The teams were tied 68-68 at the end of regulation time after SFU outscored SMU 44-39 in the second half. The Clan's near-upset of the Mustangs, who were 17-13 in the WAC last season, is shocking. In 40 games against NCAA Division 1 competition under head coach Scott Clark the Clan has posted just two wins. None would have been bigger than Saturday's near miss.

"We were very motivated and the players competed hard," said Clark. "We put ourselves in a position to win and we almost pulled it off. It was a gutsy effort."

Forward Patrick Lowe had put SMU up 79-77 with nine seconds left in overtime when he scored on a lay-up. Bains (Richmond, BC), who scored 17 of his 33 points from the free throw line, took the in-bounds pass the length of the floor and drove in from the right side but the ball rimmed out. The 6-foot-11 Klitz tipped the rebound back but it rolled out left as the buzzer sounded.

Bains, who led the CIS in scoring last season averaging 22.8 ppg, scored 33-points on six-of-24 shooting, but it was fifth-year senior guard Ross Naka (Trail, BC) who sent the teams to overtime when he hit a three-pointer with 43 seconds left to tie the game. The Mustangs could have won it twice in the final seconds of regulation time but guard Justin Isham missed a short jumper with 16 seconds left. Forward Kris Lowe grabbed the rebound but missed a three-point shot to win it.

The lead changed hands15 times and all five Clan starters contributed to the scoring but only Naka scored off the bench, with five points. SMU got 38 points from its bench.

SMU led 29-24 at the half after SFU managed to shoot just 26.9% from the field (7-26).

Forward Sean Stewart and swingman Chad Clifford (White Rock, BC) each had 11 rebounds, for the Clan, which out rebounded SMU 45-29. Clifford added 12 points in 28 minutes before fouling out. Forward Brent Charleton (North Vancouver, BC) had 15-points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes.

Bains, who played all but one minute in the game, was four-of-13 from three-point range. He scored 17 points from the free throw line (17-18) as the Clan shot a near-perfect 24 of 26 from the charity stripe.

Guard Bryan Hopkins, who was named WAC Freshman of the Year after his first season with the Mustangs, scored just six points on three-of-seven shooting in 17 minutes. He ranked second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game last season. Forward Brian Miller, who scored 18-points on seven-of-nine shooting in 21 minutes, led SMU. Forward Patrick Simpson added 11-ppoints and seven rebounds in 29 minutes.


This was the first of three games against top NCAA Division 1 competition. SFU plays the University of New Mexico Lobos on Saturday, Oct. 18 (7:00 pm) and the Creighton University Jays on Saturday, Oct. 24 (7:00 pm). The NCAA schools are playing preseason games in Vancouver against UBC, TWU and UVIC now that the NCAA has changed rules to allow schools to play international preseason games and receive 10 extra days of practice.