The Okanagan Coyotes are the youngest team in the PACWEST, playing their first season in 2018-19. They took the place of two departing teams, the Quest Kermodes and the KPU Eagles, the latter of which I hope returns to the conference one day.
Unfortunately, the Coyotes have filled Quest's spot in more ways than one.
We've done this five times before, do I even need to explain how this works?
Women's
Season recap
Despite their brief time in the conference, the Coyotes began the 2024-25 season aiming to build on their impressive track record. Last year, they entered the playoffs as the final seed but managed to upset both CBC and Capilano on their way to earning a conference silver medal. With their 2022 conference title and the recent addition of Faith Hunter, Coyotes fans had plenty of reasons to be optimistic, despite their massive roster turnover.
The Coyotes kicked off their season against the Mariners but were quickly brought back to reality. Rookie coach Vince Hunter was thrown into the deep end, and the team soon became the conference's punchline, sliding to the bottom of the standings.
Despite this, they still had a narrow chance at making the playoffs. Another Cinderella run was within grasp. With a tiebreaker over Camosun, they only needed one win. The Douglas Royals, waiting patiently for either them or Camosun, would be their ultimate challenge.
They lost.
74-64.
Not a single second with the lead.
Playoffs missed by one game.
Ouch.
Strengths and weaknesses
All Okanagan can really do at this point is unplug the router and plug it back in. Just by having an offseason with mostly the same roster, the Coyotes will have more time to build chemistry. If that isn't enough, the Coyotes brought in a sampling of new faces.
The first recruit was Coti Lopez, who returns to the Coyotes after spending time at Iowa Western, South Suburban, and the Paraguay national program, the latter of which also gave rise to point guard Antonella Luraghi. Jaidan Curteanu was imported all the way from Whitehorse to provide additional guard depth.
The lone frontcourt addition looks to be a good one. Cheyenna Wilson comes over from Britannia Secondary, where she helped lead the Bruins to an upset victory over Lambrick Park in 2024.
Topped off with Rebecca Boyes, who amassed over 1,000 points at Pitt Meadows, and the Coyotes look to be fearsome in the future.
How do they fare against VIU?
They don't.
At least, not right now.
I want to think the Coyotes have a chance. I really do. Unfortunately, asking this roster to stand up to one of the mightiest teams in the country is a fool's errand. Okanagan's frontcourt is still a massive question mark, and the Mariners famously have one of the strongest forward rooms in the province.
Every team in the PACWEST fixed their biggest need except for Okanagan, so as much as I hate to admit it, the Coyotes are in for another rough year.
Men's
Season recap
Last season for the Coyotes was one to forget. They suffered a brutal 2-22 season, which included going winless in October and February.
Even for their struggles, there was still a light at the end of the tunnel. Manny Biden was among the conference's elite, and formed a strong backcourt with Damani Green. The mid-season addition of Luke Huddlestone also provided veteran leadership.
Nonetheless, the Coyotes were unable to capture the success they had the season before, and became the lone PACWEST team to miss the playoffs.
Strengths and weaknesses
With Manny Biden's departure, Okanagan had a hole to fill at guard. In addition to the in-house options of Nathan Lamb and Brandon Porter, local guard Ryan Dekleva is returning to Kelowna after spending one season with the SAIT Trojans. The three will likely fill in for DaJuan Burke, who is scheduled to miss the first half of the season.
Dekleva was Okanagan's only addition in their backcourt, however. The Coyotes focused their offseason on becoming a defensive team, and I love it.
6’7 forward Chris Bojanowski, interior threat Tesloach Deng, and defensive anchors Timi Orifa and Trevon Roots were all brought in to help Okanagan stake a claim in the paint. If Green and Biden stay hot? Oh boy.
Dino Gini, the only head coach the Coyotes have ever known, will return for his ninth season with the program.
How do they fare against VIU?
Although the Coyotes will be much improved, particularly on defense, they’re not out of the woods just yet. The PACWEST is a gauntlet of a conference, and it’s unlikely Okanagan will make an immediate push for contention. Still, they should stay competitive and might give a #3 seed a run for their money if luck is on their side.
Where Okanagan has the strength over VIU is in their post defense. Deng and Roots form a great one-two punch of rim protection, and their guard room is capable of taking a step, but VIU has the championship pedigree to give the Coyotes fits.
For the rest of the offseason, I'll be reacting to moves surrounding the Mariners and the PACWEST at large. The first postgame recap should be out in October. Until next time, this has been Kaleb Green, the voice of VIU.
-K
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