In their quest to become kings of the court, the first-place Lakeland Rustlers hope they can celebrate an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championship at home in Lloydminster.
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With a month left in the regular season, the men’s basketball team from Lakeland College is the front-runner in the North Division, sporting an 11-3 record and in contention to host the ACAC championship tournament in early March.
In the annual rotational hosting cycle, the North pennant-winner earns the right to stage the playoffs in its home gym this year.
“Oh, I would love that,” said Rustlers forward Jordan Horobetz-Simpson. “I’ve been playing here for three years now. In my first year, we used to call it the Haunted House. Guys (from opposing schools) didn’t want to come and play here, because we’d just shut it down. We were 10-0 at home in my first year. I think, in my second year, we only lost two games at home — those were both to Keyano.
“This year, obviously, we have a great record at home, only dropping (two games). Just the home crowd, the community, they all come out, they all show love. The defence chants are going. And when we’re flowing inside our own gym — we practise in here every day, we know the rims, we know the court better than anyone — it would mean the world to be able to host playoffs here.”
The Rustlers have six games remaining in their regular-season schedule, including a pair of contests against the NAIT Ooks (10-3), the Edmonton school that trails Lakeland by just two points in the North standings. The third-place Keyano Huskies (9-3) of Fort McMurray are also in the running to host the March 5-7 tournament.
“We’re first in the North right now, so we have to depend on Keyano getting a game against NAIT, so we can host playoffs,” said Horobetz-Simpson, a six-foot-seven native of Winnipeg.
“We need every one of these games, but unfortunately, we dropped some games that we shouldn’t have this season, so every game is a battle, every game is important, and especially in this crunch time. It’s coming to the end of the season. We need every single one of these, not only to host playoffs, but also just for ourselves, to get that work in and to get that practise in the game-time experience.
“Because, after the regular season, it’s one game and done. If you lose, you’re done, so these last couple of games are very important.”
The Rustlers began their post-Christmas league schedule with a one-point loss to Keyano, but they’ve won three straight games since then. Lakeland has a bye this coming weekend, before playing a home-and-home series against the Augustana Vikings (2-9) on Jan. 30 in Camrose and Jan. 31 in Lloyd.
“I think we’re playing to the top of our game,” coach Sheray Thomas said last weekend after his Rustlers won both ends of a home-and-home series with the King’s Eagles. “We’re a really tough team and we can beat anybody. I guess that’s why we’re in the national rankings right now — 10 — and we’re first in the North (in the ACAC).
“So, we have an opportunity to keep on winning, move up in the rankings, and potentially host playoffs here if we’re able to get these next two wins, and get a little help from Fort McMurray — from Keyano. If they’re able to split with NAIT, then we’ll be hosting here. We’ll be asking the fans to come out and pack the gym, so we can win this thing.”
The Rustlers have mostly been winning all season, but it’s those three losses that sting a little more considering the playoff implications that go with finishing first in the division.
“We’re 11-3, but I’m not happy with that, because the one-point loss (to Keyano on Jan. 9), it’s a game we should have won,” Thomas said. “We had a lead with 24 seconds (left) and some things didn’t go our way.
“And then, we had another loss here, in our first game of the season, where we lost by three. Briercrest hit a three (in overtime).
“We lost by five to SAIT at their place (in Calgary). That’s the No. 1 team in the nation.”
Noting that all three of Lakeland’s losses were close, five points or less, Thomas believes such setbacks can be the most frustrating.
“Those sometimes get you more than the 20-point losses, because they’re right there, but if we learn from those, it’s a great thing,” he said. “We’ve got to sharpen up on our defensive end. When we’re defending and getting on transition, we’re super tough. And then, sharing the ball offensively, we can beat anybody.”
With that mindset, the Rustlers are confident they would be credible hosts of the ACAC championship tournament. Thomas hopes his team can replicate what Briercrest did last season and Keyano did the year before — win the league title on their home court.
“The last two teams that hosted it, won it, so hopefully we could be the third,” he said. “It’s always good, waking up in your own bed and being in your own routine, rather than possibly travelling six hours to Fort Mac or two and a half to Edmonton. So, we’d rather host here, get the fans out, and try to raise the banner. We need the buy-in. We’ll need the support if we’re able to do that and give these guys a little bit of extra energy.”
The Rustlers played extra ball during the Christmas break as they travelled to Montana for a pair of exhibition games against the Montana State University-Northern Lights.
MSU-Northern defeated Lakeland 95-47 and 85-61, respectively.
“We were without some key guys who were unable to go (because of passport issues),” Thomas said. “But it was good competition. They’re a high-level, talented team. They’re NAIA, so they have some Division 1 guys. It’s a mixture of players, so it was good to go down there and play against those guys.”
Last weekend in ACAC play, the Rustlers were without injured fifth-year players Bahaeddin Salma (nose) and David Dimaano (ankle).
“We’re missing two ball-handlers and two really tough defensive guys for us, so that hurts,” Thomas said. “Baha is a starter. He’s been an all-star, a playoff all-star as well, so not having him is tough. David can shoot and handle the ball.”
Dimaano twisted an ankle during the Montana series. Salma hurt his nose late in the Jan. 10 game against Keyano.
As they prepared for a championship run, Lakeland added two players for the second half — fifth-year men Roy Anku and Ashraf Yakubu.
“Roy was part of our bronze-medal-winning team a couple of years ago,” Thomas said. “He went to University of Victoria last year and he was a red-shirt there when they won the (U Sports) national title. He was looking for a home and we welcomed him back.
“Ashraf was another guy here in the first half and practising with us. He gives us another big down there. He’s already played a bit with us this month. The first game last weekend against (Keyano), he had some good plays.”
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