MADAGASCAR – The Trinity Western Spartans dropped their second game of the round-robin tournament 65-55 to the Madagascar M2ALL team at Petit Palais Mahamasina Tuesday afternoon in Madagascar. TWU is now 0-2 at the tournament.
 
Fourth-year guard Jayden Gill (Abbotsford, B.C.) with 12 points, first-year centre Blessing Ibekwe (Coquitlam, B.C.) with 11 points, and fourth-year guard Hailey Van Roekel (Langley, B.C.) with seven points led the Spartans.
 
The Spartans were down at 15-11 after the opening quarter but after a strong second quarter led M2ALL, 28-23 at the half. Madagascar had the better of the Spartans in the third quarter to put the TWU down by three points, 44-41, heading into the final quarter. M2ALL continued their strong second half outscoring TWU 21-14 in the fourth quarter to make the final 65-55 for Madagascar.
 
QUOTABLE
Head coach Cheryl Jean-Paul
"These have been really challenging games for us – the physicality, speed of transition push and aggressive play have really pushed us out of our comfort zone. We definitely competed a lot harder than the first game so we are growing accustomed to the Malagasy style of play. Despite the loss, we responded well to the push and are learning that coming into an opponent's gym isn't meant to be easy."
 
"This military team plays a very tough style of play, uptempo and physical and it forced us to respond. But it helps our athletes gain perspective on what others have to do in other parts of the world to be able to compete in a game we all love and to not take that for granted."
 
SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 4 Madagascar National Team (Ankoay) at Barea Stadium at 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 7 Madagascar AIA Team at Petit Palais Mahamasina at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, May 8 MB2ALL Team at Gymnase couvert Mahamasina at 8 a.m.
Wednesday, May 8 semi-finals at Gymnase couvert Mahamasina at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 9 Madagascar at Gymnase couvert Mahamasina at 2 p.m. with award presentations to follow.
 
The Spartans will leave on May 1 and return to Langley, B.C. on May 12.
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 33 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
 
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