Behind Enemy Lines: Camosun Chargers

The Camosun Chargers have been VIU's main rival since they joined the PACWEST in 1994. The "Island Rivalry" has become one of the main attractions on the island, as both team and city seek to establish superiority. While the Mariners have dominated the overall series, especially on the men's side, Camosun has managed to make the rivalry more respectable.

In this article, I will recap both of Camosun's seasons last year, go over their strengths and weaknesses, and how I think they will match up against VIU.

Women's

Season recap

Following a bronze medal finish in 2023, the Camosun Chargers regressed in 2024, falling to the Douglas Royals in the quarterfinals. Head coach Kate Service was shown the door, and former MacEwan lead man John Dedrick was hired in her stead.

Camosun entered 2024-25 with moderately high expectations. After a 2-1 start, things looked promising.

Then Abby Rauh went down.

Without their starting point guard, the Chargers fell into a tailspin, only winning two more games that season. Despite an unflattering 4-20 finish, Camosun snuck into the playoffs due to Okanagan's implosion down the stretch.

No one gave the Chargers a chance as they stared down the reigning PACWEST champion Douglas Royals, but while they were felled, they kept it extremely close, only losing 67-61. Kanda Diop and midseason addition Maren Bilsky would both ride off into the sunset without any hardware, but Chargers fans had good reason to be excited. Their depleted roster took a vastly superior team to the brink.

Next season, hopefully blessed with good health, the Chargers should return to their contending ways.

Strengths and weaknesses

Camosun's biggest strength is their depth. They have several starting-caliber players in their lineup, many of which will be in competition to replace the starting spots recently vacated by Bilsky and Diop.

Recent transfer Jayci Chase provides an extreme amount of defensive versatility in the lineup, despite seeing sheltered minutes at Lakeland.

Mackenzie Pogue and Mila Johnson were brought in as depth guards, but time will tell if they'll be anything more.

John Dedrick's return also gives Camosun much-needed continuity, as potential new recruits don't have to worry about the system changing from year to year.

Camosun strikes me as a team that won't win games with offensive firepower or stifling defense, but with sheer depth and numbers. They have a good enough bench to gradually wear anyone down.

As last year showed, health is still a major concern. Hopefully, they won't be given as bad a hand as they were dealt last season.

How do they fare against VIU?

As much as I've sung Camosun's praises so far, I don't see them winning more than one game against VIU. Their lineup is talented, I won't deny that, but VIU has a proven track record of beating Camosun, which should give them a mental edge. Will the games be more competitive? Absolutely. Will the results remain the same? More than likely.

Men's

Season recap

The Camosun Chargers are coming off of a 19-5 season that saw them earn the #2 seed in the PACWEST and finish as the #10 ranked team in the country. Their main strength all season long was their stifling defense, which finished first in points against, shooting percentage against, three-point percentage against, and defensive efficiency.

This is not to say that Camosun had no offense; they finished third in points per game off the back of veteran sharpshooter David Finch and standout rookie Isaiah Helman.

Despite their talent, the Chargers would not get a chance at redemption against the Mariners. Instead, they would fall in a double overtime epic against the Capilano Blues, forcing the Chargers to settle for a bronze medal against CBC.

That game would be the final career game for veteran guards Jaime Palamos-Molins and Eric Lees, but their biggest loss would come from behind the bench. After three seasons, Geoff Pippus resigned as Camosun's head coach to take the same position at the University of Alberta.

Assistant coach and former player Jake Wilmott will lead the Chargers on an interim basis. Camosun's system is expected to remain the same for at least this season.

Strengths and weaknesses

Camosun's biggest strength is immediately obvious. Their defense was incredible last year, and looks to be strong again. Combine that with Isaiah Helman and David Finch staying hot from the perimeter, and the Chargers are one of two teams in the conference that I believe has no outright weakness in their lineup (I'll talk about the other in a few days).

The departures of Lees and Palamos-Molins give room for other young guards on their roster, such as Malachi Bryden and Lincoln Faulkner, to emerge. While the Chargers have only made two additions, they made them count. A pair of Oak Bay guards in Diem Orser and Thomas Beames provide additional depth while maintaining a strong connection with Oak Bay High, a perennial AAAA powerhouse.

Orser is a proven award winner, winning DPOY at the 2024 Kodiak Classic and MVP at the 2023 UVic Alumni Tournament. He was named an All-Star at Islands during his final two seasons with the Bays while averaging 26 points per game on 50% shooting. He figures to be an immediate contender for a starting spot.

Beames, while not nearly as decorated, is a formidable player in his own right. He was named an All-Star alongside Orser, and won MVP at the 2024 Vancouver College Emerald Tournament.

The only question mark regarding the roster is Jake Wilmott. While he's been an assistant under Pippus for as long as he'd been there, this is his first season as head coach. I think he'll be good, but it's unclear as to whether or not he'll be anything more.

How do they fare against VIU?

This is one of VIU's most equal matchups. Every game between these two came down to the wire, with one of them even requiring a buzzer beater from Zekun Li. That shouldn't change this season.

VIU's biggest undoing last year was their lack of a conventional big man, which allowed Camosun to run rampant on the glass. While that hole was filled, Camosun added more guard depth, which should let them stay on equal footing in that regard.

In a way, both teams learned from each other to improve, which is weirdly wholesome. The Island Rivalry should remain a provincial spectacle, and I can't wait for it to come up north.

The next article will detail another team VIU has unpleasant history with, the Capilano Blues. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K

VIU Mariners Men's Season Preview

The VIU Mariners are entering 2025-26 as they have almost every year this century, with massive talent and equally massive expectations. VIU has been the team to beat since Tony Bryce's first stint, and have only become more dominant.

As I did with the women's team, I will recap the previous season, go over VIU's moves during the recruiting period, and predict how the Mariners will finish next season.

Previous Season Recap

Only a few months removed from their most recent PACWEST championship, the Mariners landed a massive recruit from just a bit down south.

And no, I'm not talking about them hiring me.

Kam Bender was acquired from Green River of the NWAC, where he was a key contributor on both offense and defense. He joined a guard room that had just lost longtime point guard Dan Zimmerman, but had several strong pieces, including deadly shooters Zekun Li and Kaeleb Johnson, two-way guard Ryan Bastian, and young corner threat Rylan Adams.

VIU would employ a five-out motion offense throughout the course of the season, which wasn't surprising given their guard-heavy lineup, complemented by a trio of stretch bigs: Adams' old high school teammate Kai Leighton, ACAC transfer Noah Lehto, and Australian journeyman Max D'Amato.

Markus Modrovic was tabbed as the team's primary defender and de facto starting centre, though he was also a capable shooter in his own right. Brad Lansdell also saw heavy minutes from the bench as an extra defender and rebounder, only two seasons removed from leading the CBC Bearcats in that category.

Just by looking at the roster, you might think that head coach Matt Kuzminski was only tooling his roster based on the personnel he acquired. While this is technically correct, I believe the change to a shooting-heavy offense was made out of necessity, rather than direct intent.

Breandan McLaughlin, a young big man, was projected to fill in as the team's starting centre, which would move Modrovic to power forward. Many questioned if he could perform as well as his predecessor at the position, Adam Anhold.

Unfortunately, those questions will remain unanswered for a few more months. During my first preseason game, I was simply told that McLaughlin was dealing with a leg injury, and wouldn't be able to play.

I assumed this was a minor injury, and expected him to return in time for the home opener against Okanagan.

That leg injury turned out to be, among other things, a torn ACL. The Mariners would be without one of the only true big men on their roster for the entire season. Woof.

Despite this crushing loss, the Mariners didn't skip a beat. They began the season with a blowout victory over the Okanagan Coyotes, winning by a final score of 100-59. This game set the tone for a thrilling season, which included Zekun Li hitting a buzzer-beater against the Camosun Chargers in the first leg of that year's Island Rivalry (which still needs a new name). They roared into the winter break as the only undefeated team in the conference, and briefly held serve as the #1 team in the country.

Their joyride would be temporarily halted on January 17th, 2025, when the Chargers made the trek up to Nanaimo and strangled VIU's potent offense, grinding out a 73-66 victory against the team that had bested them innumerable times before, handing VIU their first home loss since November 1st, 2019, exactly 1904 days ago.

Though VIU got revenge the next day, a statement was made to the rest of the province:

The Mariners were mortal.

Dejected, the Mariners fled to the interior to boost their confidence. After grounding the Coyotes into dust and dispatching the Royals, they returned home to host the Capilano Blues, who had beaten them in the PACWEST gold match two seasons prior. This would serve as the final home series for Noah Lehto, who would be VIU's lone graduating player this year.

Both of those games followed a similar script: Capilano races out to an early lead, but VIU slowly claws back and makes the game competitive in the final minutes. In the first game, the Mariners would complete the comeback. In the second game, they would run out of gas and suffer their second home loss of the season. It would be the first time they had lost more than once at home in a season in almost a decade.

Entering the playoffs as the #1 seed, the Mariners dispatched the CBC Bearcats before facing the Capilano Blues on their home court. In the first half, VIU held the slight advantage, but after halftime, Capilano would shift into third gear, taking a lead that they would never relinquish. Despite a valiant effort from Kai Leighton, who hit a trio of threes in the fourth quarter, Capilano survived and won their second PACWEST title in three years, both of which came over the Mariners.

With this loss, the VIU Mariners, who were the #1 team in the country coming out of the winter break, would be denied a trip to nationals.

Recruits

The fact that a 21-3 season, winning conference MVP, and conference silver is considered subpar for the Mariners speaks volumes as to their reputation among teams in the PACWEST and the CCAA at large.

VIU's guard room, once one of their strong suits, will be a relatively unproven bunch next year. Kam Bender and Kaeleb Johnson both left, while Zekun Li transferred to Capilano to be closer to his family.

Fortunately, the Mariners have reinforcements, proven and unproven alike, waiting in their ranks.

First came Nathan Pasloske, a point guard from Thompson Rivers. He is expected to be the centerpiece of VIU's offense next season and for the forseeable future, as he carries extra eligibility thanks to the pandemic.

Then, the Mariners looked to the mainland for more veteran hands. Lanky forward Ekman Sohal, who was named to the conference all-rookie team in 2023, was poached from Douglas to join Kai Leighton, while three-point specialist Levi Van Egdom came over from CBC, trading his cross for a trident.

VIU also carried two redshirt guards last season in Cohen Cadieux and Boyd Anderson, both capable scorers in their own right, but only Cadieux remains following Anderson's departure this past August. Rylan Adams, while primarily a corner shooter, fills a much needed role in the lineup.

Ryan Bastian, who set a career high in rebounds per game last season, is expected to serve as the anchor of the defensive backcourt. I expect to see another younger player, likely Adams, to partner with him in situations where the Mariners need to maintain a lead. Matt Kuzminski has never been one to stay with one system for too long, and Adams wasn't given the heaviest workload last season, so him becoming a 3-and-D guard makes sense.

While there will be an early transition period, VIU should be back to their scoring ways in no time.

Among forwards, the offense will be led by Kai Leighton and Ekman Sohal, while the defense will be anchored by Markus Modrovic. Scoring will take a slight dip due to Noah Lehto's graduation and Max D'Amato's departure. However, the major addition to VIU's frontcourt comes in the return of Breandan McLaughlin. While he has added a three-point shot to his arsenal, he should still serve as the team's primary interior presence, while Hudson Trood will step in as an additional big.

Expectations

Though it may not look like it at first, the Mariners are an immensely improved, especially in their forward room. Camosun and Capilano exposed VIU's subpar post presence during their matchups late in the season.

Even if they weren't granted an automatic bid to nationals as the host team, the Mariners would still be among the favorites to qualify. Their lone weakness was shored up, and the perimeter should remain a strength.

Another factor is the desire to get revenge on Capilano, both for the gold match last year and Li's departure. Even if their ire is not directed solely towards the Blues, no team will want to face the wrath of an enraged king trying to reclaim their throne.

The next article will discuss the Camosun Chargers, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they match up against the Mariners on both the men's and women's side. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K

VIU Mariners Women's Season Preview

2025-26 looks to be a great season for the Mariners. Not far removed from not only a PACWEST title, but also one of the busiest recruiting seasons by a team in recent memory, expectations have never been higher. In this article, I will recap VIU's most recent season, what they did during the recruiting period, and predict where they'll be next season.

Previous Season Recap

No team generated as much conversation last year as the VIU Mariners. Two years removed from a national championship in 2023, the Mariners were desperate to recapture that high following a disappointing bronze medal finish in 2024.

Harriette Mackenzie was a leader both on and off the court for VIU, leading the conference in points per game while finishing top three in rebounds per game and field goal percentage.

Despite no other Mariner averaging more then 10 points per game, VIU still claimed the top spot in the conference with their stifling zone defense, which is designed to gradually "wear people out," per head coach Tony Bryce.

For a brief period in late 2024, however, their on-court performance was secondary to a greater issue. Harriette Mackenzie was the target of a flagrant foul during a game against the CBC Bearcats, where she was grabbed by fifth-year forward Madeline Beerwald and thrown beneath the basket. CBC head coach Taylor Claggett, who had lobbied to officials to keep Mackenzie out of the game earlier that day, was later seen applauding the move from the bench.

In an Instagram video published later that month, the star forward derided the Bearcats for condoning and encouraging the act, which she believed was rooted in religious transphobia. Mackenzie, though transgender, had identified as female for most of her life, and found safety in basketball despite her low testosterone, which she said was one tenth of a normal woman.

After an investigation by the PACWEST, Claggett was suspended and VIU's later games against CBC, which would have been in Abbotsford, were postponed and eventually cancelled. The incident also led to CBC losing the right to host that year's PACWEST championships.

Two weeks removed from the incident, during a game against the Douglas Royals (who had ironically played CBC the week prior), fans dressed in rainbow attire came in droves. Though Mackenzie only scored 8 points that game, the Mariners defeated the Royals 60-46, sending the many fans home happy on, as I put it during the game, "a night Nanaimo will never forget."

Though Douglas would get their revenge the next day, that would be VIU's only loss of the season. They ended the year on a 16-game winning streak, cruising to the #1 seed in the conference.

After dismantling the host Capilano Blues in the semifinals and punching a ticket to that year's national tournament, they met CBC in a grudge match for conference gold. VIU would defeat CBC for a third time that year, winning their seventh PACWEST title and moving into sole possession of second all-time in that category, only behind the Langara dynasty of the 1970s.

Nationals would go rather poorly for the Mariners, beginning with a quarterfinal loss to the Mohawk Mountaineers, their first loss that calendar year. They would be eliminated in the bronze semifinals by the SAIT Trojans, proving to be a bitter ending on what was otherwise an outstanding year.

Recruits

When recruiting season opened, the Mariners were quick to bring in several guards, many of which Bryce likely created in a lab to fit his system.

In replacing versatile American guard Makayla Kimble, the Mariners scoured the island, then the province, and eventually the entire West Coast.

First came Elana Russell, a scoring wing from nearby Mark R. Isfeld Secondary who averaged 25 points per game during the 2024 AAA provincial championships. She will forgo her senior year to join the Mariners early, but is expected to see heavy minutes in 2026-27, where she will reunite with another recent VIU commit, all-purpose forward Katie Hartig.

Versatile guard Emily Sprott was next. Sprott carries a winning mentality from GW Graham, where she won team MVP with the Grizzlies while playing in several high-level tournaments. She joins a very potent VIU backcourt alongside three-point specialist Allison Bentley, all-purpose scorer Rachel Labrador, and floor general Mackenzie Cox.

That backcourt was bolstered even further with two-way guard Mikella Campanile, perimeter threat Aysia Kumar, and lanky wing Annabelle Neufeld.

The cherry on top is Sammy Shields, who returns to Vancouver Island after spending the past four seasons split between the University of Calgary and San Jose State of the NCAA. While playing time eluded her during her stints with the Spartans and Dinos, her ability to shoot the basketball has not deteriorated. Bryce's confidence in her is increasingly justified by her 38-point game in her middle school days.

This is not to say that the frontcourt has been forgotten. With Mackenzie Hall's graduation and subsequent departure, a power vacuum exists at small forward in the starting lineup. Despite two strong in-house options in Colleen Nkrumah and Kaia Simpson, the latter of whom is entering her final season, Bryce still wanted insurance.

His search took him south of the border, where he plucked Sarah Cook from Skagit Valley Community College. Capable of playing almost any position, Cook is a good rebounder for her size and can score from anywhere on the court.

Expectations

The Mariners are in for another strong season. Fueled not only by the strongest backcourt in the province, but also by their newfound hatred towards CBC, the Mariners are one of the few teams in the country that could realistically push for an undefeated season.

The defense should remain the team's calling card. They allowed the fewest points per game last season, even with Imaan Lali missing most of the season with an ankle injury. Not only is she returning this season, but she has a new wingman in Mikella Campanile to provide even stronger pressure for opposing shooters, strengthened even further by ball hawk Trista Thorn.

The frontcourt should also see a similar growth with Harriette Mackenzie continuing to dominate, Colleen Nkrumah developing, and Kaia Simpson's last hurrah. Combine that with Katie Hartig stepping in as a secondary big? Sign me up.

Offensively, the Mariners were already potent, as their midrange-heavy lineup led the league in points per game, but the additions of Shields, Cook, and Sprott, as well as Elana Russell waiting in the wings could send VIU's offense to another dimension.

This is not to say that the road to a repeat championship will be easy. CBC is looking for revenge, while Douglas has a proven track record of downing VIU in crucial games. Camosun is also expected to be much stronger, and are eager to make the Island Rivalry (which needs a better name if you ask me, maybe something like the Malahat Showdown?) respectable again.

As for me, I'll still be up in my loft, watching it all unfold. You might see me at a few games next year, but you'll definitely hear me.

The next article I release will cover the men's side. Make sure to stay tuned. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.

-K