The Keyano Huskies Women’s Basketball team put together a strong comeback effort in the second half, but couldn’t eclipse the deficit they were in, losing 73-63 to the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens in Lethbridge, Alta. Thursday afternoon.  
 
The opening game of the 2023 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference’s (ACAC) Women’s Basketball Championship saw the Queens rocket out the gate with 11 field goals in the first quarter, including a pair of three-point shots.  
 
Ten turnovers to start by the Huskies didn’t help their case either as the Queens built a 28-12 lead through the first quarter.  
 
“Red Deer was just better than us; that’s it,” said Head Coach Dwayne Vigilance. “We came out and weren’t ready to play.  
 
“We played scared and that was the result that we got.” 
 
As the Huskies adjusted to the rhythm of the game, they tightened the gap to only lose the second quarter by six points.  
 
With a young group and a short bench, Vigilance conceded that the game being a playoff matchup may have proved a little too much for his group. 
 
“I think the only difference is obviously it’s a playoff game,” he said. “It’s more intense and there’s more on the line.  
 
“Maybe that aspect was a little too much for our girls in this situation. Credit to Red Deer, they came out and they took it to us.”  
 
In the third quarter, the Huskies came out energized with a 22-point frame, led by nine points from Zera Lynn Panesa as part of her team-leading 17 on the day.  
 
Though the Huskies did outscore the Queens 16-7 in the fourth quarter, a three by the Huskies would be immediately matched by RDP at the other side, taking the wind out of the sails just enough in the comeback bid as the Queens wound down the clock. 
 
Maja Besic and Joy Victor also finished in double digits on the day, scoring 14 and 10 points respectively. Victor added 13 rebounds for the double-double.  
 
Though there may be little solace in it based upon the final result, the Huskies did shoot better Thursday than their regular season average from the field (47.2% vs. 34.7%) and three-point line (42.1% vs. 26.9%) and also made five of six free throws throughout the game.  
 
They also out-rebounded the Queens by a 32-24 margin and scored just above their usual rate for the season. However, Red Deer, who won 12-straight games to close out the regular season, also scored just about their regular rate for the season to continue their run. 
 
The Huskies will now go into the Fifth-place game semi-finals tomorrow against the losing side from the second game of the day between the Concordia Thunder and Briercrest College Clippers. 

“Just go out there and have some fun,” said Vigilance of the opportunity. “We’ll get some other kids into the game and we’ll see if we can end our season with a win.” 
 
Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 3.