Men's Quarterfinals Recap: Kod(i)ak Moment

(This post can also be found on the CCAA website)

The VIU Mariners, two weeks removed from a buzzer-beater to win the PACWEST title, get their first crack at hosting nationals.

VIU 75, Lethbridge 63

Fans celebrated by coming out in droves, brandishing masks of their favorite players. Even before the opening tip, the VIU gymnasium was loud enough to register on the Richter scale.

Lethbridge quickly showed that they weren’t a team to be taken lightly, as Marley Kenion scored the game’s first points on a floater. Two quick baskets from Keyonte Beals gave the Mariners a three-point lead, and an Ekman Sohal bank shot got it as high as five, but the Kodiaks took the lead right back on a pair of threes from Rhett Lewis and Nathaniel Hosannah.

The teams continued to trade blows amidst a cavalcade of turnovers and fouls, only remaining tied thanks to a Levi Van Egdom corner three in the waning seconds of the first period.

The battle continued deep into the second quarter, but after another basket from Marley Kenion, the Mariners wouldn’t see the lead for the rest of the half. Randall Mongard and Levi Balderson scored 10 points each in the half, and a late layup from Nathaniel Hosannah put the Kodiaks up by four going into halftime.

Lethbridge continued to flex their muscle in the third quarter, but after a jump shot from Winston Cole, the Kodiaks would never lead again. VIU ended the quarter on a 22-13 run.

The fourth quarter saw the Mariners continue to assert themselves as a team to be feared. The Kodiaks got the lead down to five with a putback from Jackson Wright, but a Winston Cole and-one layup sent the VIU Gymnasium into hysteria. Even though he missed the free throw, Markus Modrovic compensated by getting fouled twice within the minute, converting three of a possible four free throws. From there, the Mariner lead continued to grow. Despite the best efforts of Ryan Heggie’s team, the Mariners cruised to a 75-63 victory.

Keyonte Beals led all scorers with 24 points and was named VIU’s player of the game. He also added seven steals and five assists.

Nathaniel Hosannah received the honor for the Kodiaks, posting an 11-11 double-double. Levi Balderson led the team with 16 points, while Randall Mogard and Marley Kenion combined for 25 points.

The Mariners advance to the national semifinals, where they will face either the Humber Hawks or the St. Thomas Tommies. The Kodiaks will look for redemption in the bronze bracket tomorrow afternoon.