HALIFAX (CIS) Fifth-year point guard
Alex Murphy put together virtuoso performance in the final game of his UBC career, leading the Thunderbirds to a 111-95 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies in the bronze medal game at the 2011 CIS Final 8.
Murphy poured in a career high 36 points on an 9-of-16 shooting performance from the field, including 7-of-10 from downtown, to go with an 11-for-12 day at the free throw line. For good measure, the Richmond, B.C. native added six assists and six rebounds. It was the second time Murphy put up big numbers against the Huskies this post season, as he scored a then career best 34 in the 'Birds 107-100 victory over Saskatchewan in the Canada West final last weekend.
Fellow fifth-year
Brent Malish scored 16 points and contributed four rebounds and four assists in his final contest.
Josh Whyte, UBC's first-team All-Canadian and the team's third fifth-year, sat out the final game of his career with a fractured foot. Whyte played through the injury in the T-Birds first two games of the championship.
"I thought Alex, for a fifth-year senior guy, played really well. A 36-point performance in his last game, that will be a memory he carries with him for the rest of his life," said UBC head coach
Kevin Hanson.
"Obviously it's a bit disappointing since the outcome of the season was to win a national championship. But it's always good to win the last game. It's a bitter taste to lose and get knocked out but they can take pride in winning that last game," added Hanson.
Murphy came on strong as the game wore on but early on it was the
Kamar Burke show for UBC. Burke notched his second straight double-double, scoring 15 points, grabbing 11 boards, and notching a team-high eight assists.
Burke, who had 13 points and 15 rebounds in Saturday's semi-final, came out on fire in the first quarter. He poured in 13 points, added a pair of assists and was all over the glass for the 'Birds. He scored inside and out, making a three, a dunk, a left-handed lay-in, a jumper, and a pair of right-handed lay-ups. It was a 15-7 run for the Huskies, however, over the final three minutes that pulled them within one at 29-28 after the first quarter.
The second quarter belonged to Murphy, who put up an impressive 18 points thanks to a a barrage of three-pointers and a little help from the Huskies. He hit an early free throw and then four more free throws off back-to-back technical fouls on Saskatchewan. That seemed to spark Murphy who came back with two three-pointers on two of the T-Birds next three possessions. Down the stretch, the UBC point guard added another three, a pair of free throws, and then a lay-in late to put the 'Birds ahead 64-46 at the break.
"We won the game and everybody played pretty solid. It's such a tough game to get up and play. Nobody wants to play that game but it was there and sometimes in life you suck it up and just play. This is a sport we all love and I think we proved that on the court. That was probably one of the better games we put together this year," said Murphy.
It was a back and forth third quarter, book-ended by a couple of strong performances from the Huskies' backcourt standouts. Rejean Chabot and Jamelle Barrett combined to score Saskatchewan's first 10 points in the second half and then Barrett scored his squad's final seven points in the third frame to pull the Huskies to within 14 at 89-75.
Barrett, the 2010-11 Canada West Player of the Year, led the Huskies with 28 points and 10 assists in the loss. Post Michael Lieffers had another solid day with 23 points, on 10-of-14 shooting, and nine rebounds. Chabot scored 10 points and had four assists in his career finale.
That trio, however, couldn't bridge the gap over the fourth quarter, as Murphy - who played almost every minute of the contest - kept UBC ahead by double digits the rest of the way.
Nathan Yu scored seven of his 17 points in the final quarter to pace the 'Birds late.
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