A two-point loss was as good as a win for the Kwantlen Eagles.
The women’s basketball team lost a double-digit lead in the third quarter and went on to lose 64-62 to the Langara Falcons last Thursday night at the Surrey campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
But the Eagles, 55-46 winners over the Falcons in Vancouver earlier in the season, won the season series on point-differential and clinched the final playoff position in the PacWest league.
Kwantlen, with a 6-9 (won-lost) record, is a game better than Langara with one league game remaining for both teams.
“We played a full game but lost that (11-point) lead when Langara caught up to us multiple times at the free-throw line,” said Eagles assistant coach Emily Wright. “They went on a 10 – 0 run with seven of those points coming from the free-throw line.”
Kwantlen led 29-26 at half-time, and 50-43 after three quarters, only to be outscored 21-12 in the final frame.
Samantha McPhail was dominant for the Eagles, leading the team with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Anna Work contributed with 10 points, six rebounds and four steals, while Cassandra Micona recorded nine points, three assists and three steals.
Kwantlen’s men’s team saw its playoff chances all but dashed following a 99-70 loss on home court Thursday against the Falcons.
The Eagles are now tied for the final playoff position with Douglas College Royals, each team with 6-9 records. Douglas, however, has won the season series and will face the 1-13 Columbia Bible College Bearcats Saturday.
Kwantlen, in need of a win and a Douglas loss to advance to the postseason, hosts the 11-3 University of Northern B.C. Timberwolves tomorrow (Friday) at 8 p.m.
Ali Bosir of Surrey was the top scorer for Kwantlen with 19 points, also grabbing 10 rebounds. Jasmin Demirovic chipped in with 13 points, Mark Mitchell added 12 and Surrey’s Aaron Ram scored 10.
