Men's Weekend Recap: Teach Me How To Dougie

Two teams at polar opposite ends of the PACWEST standings met over the weekend. The Mariners travelled to New Westminster for a match against a Douglas Royals unit much stronger than their 1-5 record would suggest.

Friday - VIU 68, Douglas 71

When you think about it, VIU is a lot like the late 90's-early 2000s Red Wings.

Whenever they lose, no matter who it's to, it's considered an upset.

Among all of those, this one takes the cake.

Douglas wasn't happy with how their games against Okanagan last week went, and did the exact thing to the third-ranked team in the country, roaring back from a 14-point deficit to grind out their biggest win in half a decade.

VIU was victimized by a relentless Royals defense, shooting only 20.7% from beyond the arc. By the time Douglas took their first lead with 36 seconds left, the Mariners ran out of gas, whiffing on their final three shots.

Derrick Monroe was all over the court for the Royals, recording 12 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. His wingman, rookie Olan Smith, led Douglas in scoring with 17 points.

Ryan Bastian scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down nine boards, but the rest of the team struggled in comparison.

Though the Mariners aren't in danger of losing their first-place playoff spot this weekend, this kind of loss can easily lead to a downward spiral if not immediately fixed.

Saturday - VIU 101, Douglas 90

Methinks the Mariners want heads after Friday.

A 39-point second quarter, punctuated by a buzzer beater from Ryan Bastian, gave the Mariners enough of a cushion to feel like they could ease off the gas in the second half.

Failing to learn their lesson from the night before, the Mariners let the Royals crawl back into the game, nearly squandering a 25-point lead. Thankfully, timely shooting from Levi Van Egdom kept Douglas at bay and got the Mariners out of New Westminster with a win.

Winston Cole had his breakout game for the Mariners, scoring 24 points while recording a game-high four steals. Levi Van Egdom added 23 off the bench, while Ryan Bastian racked up seven rebounds and eight assists, both game highs.

Derrick Monroe continues to sparkle for the Royals, leading all scorers with 25. Lorenzo Bonamin and Jesse Connoly also had great performances, scoring 14 and 15 respectively.

The Mariners return home next week for a grudge match with the Capilano Blues, while the Royals follow them there for a matchup with Camosun.

Women's Weekend Recap: Crown War

The top two teams in the PACWEST matched up last weekend with first place on the line.

Friday - VIU 48, Douglas 70

VIU's young roster looked as such on Friday as the Mariners suffered their second loss of the season in a game they needed to win to keep pace in a competitive PACWEST.

An early pair of free throws gave the Royals a lead they would cherish for the rest of the evening. Both teams performed evenly throughout the game, but Douglas' hot start let them keep the Mariners at arms' length.

Though the Mariners went into the final quarter down by only eleven, their anemic offense dragged them down once again, and this time, there was no Trista Thorn to save them. VIU shot a combined 26.9% from the field.

Mariners fans shouldn't be scared. This was a reality check for the conference's youngest roster, and the early struggles of both Okanagan and Langara all but ensure a playoff spot for the Mariners. Douglas has proven countless times that they can roll with the country's elite, and another loss for VIU was inevitable.

Mackenzie Dalphond led the way for the Royals, posting a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double. Reigning PACWEST DPOY Lauren Clements was stellar as well, scoring 15 points.

VIU's highest scorer was Sammy Shields, who tacked 12 on the board. Unfortunately, no other Mariner scored more than seven.

Saturday - VIU 62, Douglas 48

That's more like it.

At first, things looked grim. A three from Lauren Clements just five seconds in set the stage for what looked like a repeat of last night's trouncing, but VIU ended the quarter on a 9-0 run to take a four-point lead into the second, and a seven-point lead into the half.

It was all VIU in the third quarter. The Royals only mustered 10 points to VIU's 19, which game them enough of a cushion to cruise to a much-needed bounce back win.

Tony Bryce got to witness a game's worth of teach tape with how strong VIU's defense was, especially down the stretch. Though VIU's offense remains a question mark at this point in the season, their defense is strong enough to keep them in games against the conference's elite.

Trista Thorn and Sammy Shields recorded 11 points and 4 rebounds each, while Kiayra Hohlweg and Sarah Cook combined for 17 boards. Mackenzie Dalphond once again led the Royals in scoring with 14 points.

Now tied with Douglas atop the PACWEST, the Mariners return home next week for a crucial matchup with the Capilano Blues.

Men's Weekend Recap: Game of the Year?

On the first two days after Halloween, the Mariners and Falcons created a thriller not seen this side of Robert Enright.

There's no better set of games I'd return to the booth for.

Saturday - VIU 100, Langara 88 (OT)

I don't care what you have to say about any game that comes after this.

This was the game of the year.

Game of the decade, even.

At first, things looked bleak for VIU. Aaron Ungprasert, a former VIU commit, nailed four straight shots to put Langara up 10-2, but timely shooting from Kye Kotapski-Tinga and Ryan Bastian got the Mariners back into the contest. A pair of layups from Kye put VIU up 16-10 early in the first quarter, but the Falcons responded immediately. A pair of and-one layups, including a demoralizing dunk from Nixon Owusu, took the lead away from VIU.

The Mariners wouldn't hold the lead for the rest of the half.

A late three from Patrick Robinson put Langara up 26-16 before the second quarter. Counting an early layup from Ehi Obetoh, the Falcons were on an 18-0 run against the last undefeated team in the PACWEST.

The Mariners and Falcons traded layups across the next minute before a Joaquin Bautista free throw increased the Langara lead to 14.

Markus Modrovic spearheaded a run for the Mariners that saw them slowly chip away at the lead, chipping it to a one-point deficit in the waning stages of the half, but a three from Keito Kusaki gave the Falcons a four-point cushion heading into halftime.

The Mariners came into the third quarter with enough firepower to power a small city. A trio of Kotapski-Tinga layups gave the Mariners their first lead since the first quarter. Kye dueled with Ungprasert throughout the fledgling stages of the quarter as both teams traded the lead.

A pair of layups from Ekman Sohal and Kai Leighton, as well as two free throws from Winston Cole, provided extra support for Kye's career day as the VIU lead grew to as high as 12. The Falcons refused to go down without a fight and put the game back within three with one quarter left to play.

Joaquin Bautista restored the lead for Langara, but they couldn't hold on for long. Another demoralizing three from Kotapski-Tinga seemed to put the game away, but four combined points from James Zongo put the Falcons up by two with 92 seconds left.

Despite fouling Kai Leighton, the Falcons could rest easy. Leighton only made one of his free throws, and the shot clock was off.

Start the bus.

Turn out the lights.

All Luka Subotic had to do was pass to Patrick Robinson in front of the scorer's table and let the clock run out.

Robinson never grabbed it.

Mariners ball.

It's not over yet.

After an inbound pass from Levi Van Egdom, Kai Leighton found a wide open Ryan Bastian who drilled a three to send the crowd into a frenzy.

Ryan Bastian.

In the eleventh hour.

Timeout, Langara.

Can you believe it?

The Falcons can.

After a missed shot from Ungprasert to win the game, Luka Subotic grabbed the rebound and nailed a buzzer-beating jump shot to tie the game at 85 and force overtime.

It's not over yet.

At least, it wasn't for roughly a minute.

Levi Van Egdom got the party started with a pair of threes, and the Mariners never trailed again. Langara only managed one meaningful point, a Nixon Owusu free throw, but unfortunately ran out of gas as the Mariners put the finishing touches on a night that VIU will not soon forget.

Kye Kotapski-Tinga had the game of his life, scoring a career-high 38(!) points on 16-24 shooting. Ryan Bastian followed close behind with 18 points, including a crucial three in the final seconds. Breandan McLaughlin even made a return to the lineup, though he would only record one foul.

Langara's leading scorer was Aaron Ungprasert, who scored 24 points against the same team that recruited him in 2021. Ed Asirit added 11 of his own, while James Zongo added eight off the bench before he fouled out.

Sunday - VIU 88, Langara 61

After last night's overtime thriller, any game trying to top it would face a tall task.

Instead, the home crowd was treated to a relaxing, box-standard victory.

Much like their sisters in arms, the Mariners wasted no time establishing the pecking order. A pair of James Zongo free throws gave Langara an 8-6 lead halfway through the first quarter, but the Falcons would never lead after that. Every starter for VIU recorded at least 12 points, including Kye Kotapski-Tinga with a game-high 18.

Breandan McLaughlin scored his first points in over a calendar year, dropping five points and five rebounds.

The Mariners head back to the Lower Mainland next week to take on the Douglas Royals, before returning home the following week for a crucial tilt with the Capilano Blues.

Women's Weekend Recap: Home Sweep Home

One week removed from their first loss of the season, the Mariners returned home looking to get back on track.

Saturday - VIU 68, Langara 44

Sometimes, all you need is a hot start.

The Mariners came flying out of the gate on Saturday, racing out to a 31-6 lead after only a quarter and a 51-13 lead at the half. Under normal circumstances, the game would already be over.

Unfortunately, the Mariners eased off at the half.

The Falcons slowly chipped away at the deficit thanks to timely shooting and costly turnovers. The Mariners only managed 17 more points for the rest of the game, but they had enough of a cushion to cruise to a victory, albeit an unconvincing one.

Kaia Simpson led all scorers with 12 off the bench, while Kiayra Hohlweg recorded a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double. Nadia Singh led the Falcons with 10 points, but no other Falcon reached double digits.

Sunday - VIU 62, Langara 50

This was an ugly game. Both teams shot a combined 36-123 as neither side could get their offense going. The Mariners were able to scrape by thanks to Trista Thorn's game-high 27 points. Most of those came from her 13 free throw attempts, which equaled the entire Falcons roster that game.

Nadia Singh once again led the way for Langara, but couldn't carry an anemic Falcons offense that went 5-25 from the three-point line.

The Mariners are back on the road next week, heading up to New Westminster for a crucial set with the Douglas Royals.

Men's Weekend Recap: Levi's Homecoming

Levi Van Egdom, formerly CBC's top three-point option, returned to Abbotsford for the first time since transferring to VIU.

The Mariners thanked the Bearcats for their charitable donation the only way they know how.

 Kicking their teeth in on their home court.

Friday - VIU 106, CBC 67

The first quarter, much like the women's game just a few hours before, was tense. A three-point shot from Camden MacDougall forced VIU to call an early timeout, but after a quick pep talk from Matt Kuzminski, the Mariners offense kicked into overdrive.

After a 13-2 run to end the quarter, the Mariners never looked back. They hit the century mark for the second game in a row and cruised to a third straight victory, despite a pity basket for David Magak as time expired.

Though Levi put up a respectable 7-5-2 statline while adding three steals, he wasn't the only transfer to ball out. Ekman Sohal threw his hat into the PACWEST MVP wing, scoring a career-high 30(!) points while adding five rebounds, four steals, and a block.

Kye Kotapski-Tinga continues to shine in his second season with the Mariners, adding 21 more points to go with four rebounds and a steal.

How about another outstanding performance? Winston Cole looked stellar in his Mariners debut, scoring 19 points while swinging the rock six times.

The next highest scoring Mariner was Ty Cyr with eight, but that's understandable given Ekman's career night.

CBC, not one to be left out, added their own guard into the mix. Dane-Dre Anglin put another statement on his breakout season with the Bearcats, scoring 21 points, while D'Andre Palmer-Ormsby added 16 of his own.

Saturday - VIU 101, CBC 78

This game was more of the same.

Camden MacDougall leading the Bearcats to an early lead? Check.

VIU's offense tying the game almost immediately afterward? Check.

VIU hitting the century mark for the third game in a row? Check.

That being said, it wasn't a complete blowout. CBC only trailed by one at the half, and even held a lead over halfway through the third quarter, but an and-one layup from Ryan Bastian ensured that would be the last lead CBC held that day.

Scoring for VIU was a much more even affair this time. Seven of VIU's eight players, including their entire starting lineup, scored at least 10 points, with Kai Leighton leading the way with 20.

Markus Modrovic, clearly inspired by Kiayra Hohlweg's performance the game before, became the chairman of the boards, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Bearcats also flexed their depth. Dane-Dre Anglin scored a modest 14 points, passing the baton to his new teammate, Daylen Webb, who tallied a game-high 22 points while adding 11 rebounds for good measure. Clive Adams and Camden MacDougall combined for 11 assists, while Lakeeb Hughes recorded three blocks.

The Mariners head home for the first time next week, taking on the Langara Falcons on November 1st and 2nd.

Women's Weekend Recap: Anarchy in Abbotsford

VIU and CBC, especially on the women's side, have a lot of recent history. Their fierce battle in last year's PACWEST gold match combined with more sinister off-court controversy has led to games between these two becoming must-watch TV.

Friday - VIU 55, CBC 47

This game was a textbook slugfest. Every made basket felt like a cannon shot in the hostile confines of Abbotsford.

In the beginning, Hyewon Hwang made her presence known, scoring six of CBC's 14 points and leaving VIU in a ten-point hole. The CBC crowd, cowbells and all, echoed throughout the walls.

However, a 14-3 run spearheaded by Kaia Simpson thrusted the Mariners back into the game as the Bearcats watched their lead crumble to two at the half.

Both teams remained even in the third quarter, but a buzzer-beating three from Allison Bentley put the Mariners up 43-34 with a quarter to play, a lead they would never relinquish.

Despite an early trio of free throws from Kendal Dueck, the Mariners pulled away to secure an extremely cathartic 55-47 win.

Through the first three games of the season, VIU's scoring has mostly been carried by one or two players, but the specific players rotate on a by-game basis. Tonight, it was Trista Thorn and Kaia Simpson's turn to pop off, with the two combining for 23 points and seven rebounds.

The star of the show for CBC was Kendal Dueck, who scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds, but committed four personal fouls.

Saturday - VIU 55, CBC 60

VIU's dream of an undefeated season has come to an early end.

Similar to last night, both teams played equally throughout the first three quarters, but CBC did just enough to keep the Mariners away. The Mariners, despite valiant efforts in the second and third quarters, didn't hold a lead past the first three minutes. With today's win, the Bearcats have now won games against every PACWEST team.

Four different Bearcats reached double figures, including the game's leading scorer, Julie Dueck, who scored 14 points and added 5 rebounds. Kagari Tomita and Hyewon Hwang combined for 21 more points, while AJ Sobotta added ten more off the bench.

Kiayra Hohlweg can take solace in an outstanding individual effort. She registered a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double, while Trista Thorn added 12 points of her own.

The Mariners will open their homestand next week, when they welcome the Langara Falcons to town.

Women's Weekend Recap: Mariners Begin Title Defense

PACWEST scores take time to update, so some stats may not reflect the actual game. Please keep that in mind. Corrections will be made if needed.

Friday - VIU 77, Okanagan 61

Many Mariners fans made the trek up to the interior to cheer on the ladies in black, and were treated to a surprisingly close affair between the toast of the conference and a Coyotes team eager to recapture their 2022 magic.

Mackenzie Cox and Allison Bentley tied for the team lead in points with thirteen, with the former also adding 6 rebounds. Kiayra Hohlweg also chipped in as a midrange threat, adding eleven points off the bench, while Sammy Shields earned a quartet of assists to go with nine points, a steal, and block.

The rest of VIU's lineup didn't contribute much in comparison. Rachel Labrador led all other Mariners in scoring with eight points, while Kaia Simpson and Aysia Kumar chipped in with six and five respectively.

Saturday - VIU 93, Okanagan 54

This one wasn't particularly close. The Mariners took a 15-3 lead halfway through the first quarter and never looked back.

Scoring was mostly a three-pronged effort for VIU. Sammy Shields, Annabelle Neufeld, and Aysia Kumar combined for forty-eight points, with Shields adding eight rebounds and Emily Sprott tacking on eight assists for good measure.

Despite a spectacular performance from Antonella Luraghi, who scored a game-high twenty-one points while pulling down eight rebounds, no other Coyote managed more than nine.

VIU has one more weekend before their home opener, heading down to Abbotsford next week for a long-awaited rematch with the defending national champion CBC Bearcats.

Men's Weekend Recap: Business As Usual In Penticton

Friday - VIU 112, Okanagan 72

I had doubts about the Mariners going into this game. They still lack a conventional big man for the time being, and Okanagan's post-heavy offense looked ready to pull off a miracle.

It's safe to say my fears were a touch overblown.

VIU opened their season just as they did the last, with a blowout victory over the conference's punchline.

The hero for the Mariners tonight was Kye Kotapski-Tinga. In only his second career start, the Comox native scored a game-high twenty-eight points and six assists. Two other Mariners, Kai Leighton and rookie Ty Cyr reached the twenty-point threshold, with fellow offseason acquisition Ekman Sohal coming just shy with nineteen while adding four rebounds, two assists, and VIU's lone steal.

This is not to say that Okanagan laid down to die; they fought valiantly in front of their home crowd. Noah Steingart and Phil Holmes combined for thirty-one points, while Ryan Dekleva dished the rock five times and Trevon Roots made an early case for Defensive Player of the Year with four boards and a block.

Okanagan's depth also showed promise, with all but two of their players recording at least two points. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, VIU had similar depth, with every player scoring at least four points.

Saturday - VIU 100, Okanagan 66

Don't call it a comeback.

Facing a nine-point deficit deep in the first quarter, things looked bleak for VIU. A raucous home crowd fueled the Coyotes as they made shot after shot and hounded the Mariners in the paint, but it was all VIU in the latter three, as Okanagan couldn't stop VIU's constant perimeter assault.

Ekman Sohal was the star of the show, scoring a game-high twenty-two points on 100% shooting while hitting four of his six free throws, grabbing 6 rebounds, and adding an assist and a block. Kai Leighton recorded a game-high six assists, tying with Coyotes point guard Ryan Dekleva in that category.

The Coyotes once again showed that they're not a team to be taken lightly, especially in the interior. Trevon Roots strengthened his DPOY bid with nine rebounds and three blocks, while Ryan Dekleva, Inder Deol, and Noah Steingart combined for fourty-seven of Okanagan's points.

The Mariners head back down the Coquihalla next week to take on the CBC Bearcats in Levi Van Egdom's return to Abbotsford.