TWU basketball: Spartans win China opener

With Trinity Western’s Kyle Coston leading the way with 28 points and seven rebounds, the Spartans men’s basketball team knocked of Tianjin Polytechnic 85-78 on Wednesday (Oct. 12).

With the game tied 36-36 at halftime, the Spartans, with Coston leading the charge, roared out in the second half and established a 13-point lead by the end of the third quarter and held on the rest of the way for the seven-point win.

Trinity Western’s Sean Peter also had a big hand in the win as he put up 17 points and added six rebounds while Niko Monachini had seven points and eight boards.

“Our typical shooters were cold today but it was a great team effort as others stepped up and knocked down some big shots,” said Spartans coach Scott Allen.  “We denied reversal of the ball today and Kyle [Coston] and Tristan [Smith] had a combined eight steals which led to uncontested layups or easy dunks.

“The Tianjin team had two seven-foot players which made us have to play a different style of post defense and we really had to rely on double teaming the post.”

Playing in hostile territory, with fans lining the edge of the sidelines, Trinity Western took the first seven fouls of the game before they were able to settle in, relax and play a guard-controlled style of Spartans basketball.

Trinity Western went up 21-14 after the first quarter but saw Tianjin rally in the second frame to even the score heading into the break.

In the second half, Coston, who took his third foul halfway through the first quarter and was thus sidelined until halftime, came alive.

He hit five 3-pointers and added a few tough buckets inside to lead the Spartans scoring effort.

Langley Times