Triumphant Home Opening Win For Men's Basketball Over Rival Providence
Sam Kinsley, Nick Bueno and Ridel Ebreo accounted for almost seventy-percent of the Blazers offense on opening night as Men's Basketball soared to a 114-94 win last Friday in front of a capacity crowd at the Loewen Athletic Centre.
After two seasons away from the basketball court, Kinsley's return to MCAC action showed no signs of rust. The 6'5 second year forward pounded the paint for 9 first quarter points and finished the first half with a game-high 23 points including 6 offensive rebounds.
While Kinsley was scoring inside, first-year guard Nick Bueno (pictured) held a hot hand off the bench, catching fire from the outside as the product of Fort Richmond Collegiate hit four triples for 12 of his 15 first quarter points.
Providence's Harold Memita and Cash Blanca did all they could to keep the Pilots in striking distance. Blanca went toe to toe with Bueno from three-point range, hitting two of two from beyond the arc while Memita counted 15 first half points that included an ankle-breaking fade away jumper that crossed up a CMU defender and brought the exhuberant Providence fans to their feet in the second quarter. Memita would finish with 21 to lead his team offensively.
Ahead 56-41 at the halftime break, Ebreo became a human highlight reel in the second half for the home team. The showtime rookie point guard from tiny Faith Academy, slashed for 14 of his 21 points in the final twenty minutes and impressing the crowd, building a lead as large as 26 points in the final few minutes of the game.
"It was great for us to get a win at home in our first game and to be able to play an entertaining game for the big crowd tonight," said an enthusiastic Kinsley, "we were able to put up a lot of points and to have the whole team share in the scoring."
Eleven of the twelve players listed in the Blazers opening night lineup managed to count a basket for their team; a big plus for morale as CMU enter the new season.
The next MCAC action for CMU is coming up this weekend when the Blazers have a date with the College Wesmen on Sunday night at the University of Winnipeg. Tipoff time is schedule for 8 pm.
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