Women's Weekend Recap: Knockout Punch

It's rare that the top seed is still up for grabs this late in the season, but the Mariners have shown that they can step up when the lights shine brightest. Against a team eager to play spoiler, they'll have to shine brighter than ever.

Friday - VIU 62, Douglas 49

Well, that was anticlimactic.

In front of a raucous home crowd, the Mariners played like their season was on the line. Douglas' mighty offense was held to only 28 points through the first three quarters and limited to just one made three all game. Though the Royals tried to come back in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Mariners 21-10 in the final frame, the deficit was too large to overcome.

With such a dominant win in the rearview, the Mariners secure their third straight regular season PACWEST championship and their fourth in the last five seasons.

Trista Thorn and Kaia Simpson tied for the game lead with 13 points and a block each. Kiayra Hohlweg grabbed eight rebounds and dished four assists, both team highs.

Laini Glover led the Royals with 11 points while adding six rebounds. Mackenzie Dalphond pulled down 14 rebounds and came one point shy of a double-double, while Dana Sander scored five points, including Douglas' only made three.

Saturday - VIU 71, Douglas 59

With playoff seeding already decided, the Mariners used this game as an opportunity to honor their three graduating players: Rachel Labrador, Mackenzie Cox, and Kaia Simpson.

Compared to last night, the Royals played with much more intensity, leading multiple times throughout the first quarter, but couldn't withstand VIU's constant midrange onslaught. Though the Mariners only had one made three-pointer deep into the third quarter, their defense held the fort and completed an undefeated home season.

Trista Thorn echoed her earlier performance against Langara, scoring 25 points while adding seven rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and a steal. Mackenzie Cox was the only other Mariner to reach double digits, scoring 10 points and adding four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Despite a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double from Mackenzie Dalphond, Douglas' offense went quiet. Amar Thiara and Elena Skalik each had nine points, but no other Royal got higher than Laini Glover with seven.

The Mariners enter the PACWEST championship as the #1 seed. They will face either CBC or Langara in the semifinals. Conversely, Douglas earns the other first-round bye as the #2 seed, awaiting either Capilano or Camosun.

Men's Weekend Recap: Changing of the Guard

While the ladies have to wait another week to duel for the top seed, the men can wrap it up this weekend.

Friday - VIU 85, Camosun 98

The Mariners started the first quarter hot, taking an 11-point lead after the first five minutes. The Chargers responded with an 11-0 run to take a one-point lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, nearly the exact same thing happened. VIU again took a sizable lead, but the Chargers fought back with an 8-2 run. Both teams traded the lead back and forth in the late stages of the quarter before Kye Kotapski-Tinga tipped in a shot at the buzzer to give VIU a 45-43 lead at the half. It marks the first time this season that the Mariners have lead Camosun after the first two quarters.

The stalemate continued deep into the third quarter before both teams decided to, for lack of a better term, lock in. Neither team missed a single shot in a two-minute span, but that did little to break the tie.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Chargers finally pulled away, taking a 15-point lead. Though the Mariners shut down the Chargers offensively, their own offense went cold as they suffered their first loss since November, though 85 points being their definition of "cold" speaks volumes.

David Finch led all scorers with 25 points, sprinkling in five rebounds and four assists for good measure despite fouling out. Four other Chargers reached double figures, including Thomas Beames, who scored 12 points while converting all of his free throws, and Owen Jones, who added 11 points off the bench.

VIU's leading scorer was Winston Cole, who scored 16 points and shot 12-16 from the charity stripe. Keyonte Beals added 15 points on 6-10 shooting, but fouled out in the fourth quarter. Kai Leighton led the team in rebounds with seven.

Saturday - VIU 72, Camosun 75

What a game.

The first quarter was what we've come to expect between these two teams: Slow, yet exciting. Think of it like molasses laced with caffeine. A low-scoring first frame ended with the Mariners trailing by one.

The battle continued deep into the second and ended with VIU up by two after a Kai Leighton buzzer beater. The lead wouldn't last for long, but they took it back in the third, entering the final frame up by one.

In the fourth quarter, neither team pulled any punches. VIU held a slight advantage for parts, but with just under three and a half minutes to go, it remained tied.

An and-one jump shot from Tyler Synesael gave the Chargers the lead with 26 seconds left, but the Mariners cut it to one on their next possession, then intentionally fouled Synesael again.

He missed both shots.

The Mariners countered his mistake with one of their own, chucking the ball out of bounds.

Timeout Camosun.

Another intentional foul with 11.1 to go.

David Finch doesn't think twice.

One last chance for VIU.

Two missed shots.

Game over.

Camosun's first consecutive victories over VIU since 2006.

David Finch had another stellar game, scoring 19 points and pulling down six rebounds. Tyler Synesael did him one better with seven rebounds, while Cormick Brown and Cole Belton combined for 29 points.

Compared to last night, Keyonte Beals had a much stronger showing. He scored 25 points, the most by any player and added four assists, six rebounds, and a steal, all with only one foul to his name. Kai Leighton finished close behind, dropping an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double and shooting 50% from deep.

With their destiny no longer in their hands, the Mariners return home for a matchup with the Douglas Royals next week.

Women's Weekend Recap: Ram Jam

This installment of the Island Rivalry has heavy playoff implications for both teams: VIU looks to gain ground on Douglas, while Camosun seeks a higher seed.

Friday - VIU 60, Camosun 51

The ghosts of losses past looked to haunt VIU, but their defense held Camosun to just nine points in the first quarter before hitting the gas in the second, taking a 33-19 lead into the half. Despite a late push from Camosun in the fourth, the lead was too large to overcome. The Mariners cruised to yet another victory over Camosun and gain crucial ground in the race for the top seed.

Offense was hard to come by for both teams, but that didn't stop three Mariners from finishing in double digits. Kiayra Hohlweg led VIU with 12 points while Trista Thorn added 11. In her first games since late January, Rachel Labrador came off the bench and dropped 10 points.

Kanda Diop led the game in scoring with a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double, but her supporting cast was shallow in comparison. Brooklyn Walbaum was the closest with eight points while Jayci Chase pulled down 11 rebounds.

Saturday - VIU 76, Camosun 59

The first quarter was a dogfight. For every basket one team made, the other countered in equal measure. VIU ended the first quarter on a 20-4 run that took them deep into the second, but a late Camosun rally put it back within single digits at the half.

Thankfully, the Mariners woke up and remembered they have playoff seeding to play for. A 10-point third quarter swing proved to be the difference maker as the Mariners coasted to their 20th victory of the season.

Emily Sprott and Sammy Shields tied for the team lead in points with 12 each. Trista Thorn led VIU's starters with nine points while grabbing six rebounds, a total she shared with Shields and Allison Bentley. Trista Thorn recorded a season-high three blocks in the victory.

Brooklyn Walbaum led the game with 14 points. Jayci Chase wasn't far behind with 12 points, adding 11 rebounds for a double-double.

With their road schedule complete, the Mariners return home for a date with destiny. They host the Douglas Royals with the top seed on the line.

Women's Weekend Recap: Execution

After a long road trip, the Mariners return home for what should be a simple matchup against Okanagan.

Friday - VIU 73, Okanagan 55

The Coyotes are stronger than their record suggests, but the Mariners played all four quarters with Bill Parcells' famous quote in mind.

You are what your record says you are.

In addition to their resounding win, Capilano defeated Douglas earlier in the day, moving the Mariners to a tie for the conference lead.

Four players led the way for VIU: Trista Thorn and Kiayra Hohlweg each scored 14 points, while Sarah Cook and Annabelle Neufeld each had 10. Cook added eleven rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

Okanagan's leading scorer was Jordan Kemper. She was the only player with more than 20 points, scoring 21 points while adding six rebounds. Rebecca Boyes added 10 points, while Antonella Luraghi and Mafae Amarilla added eight each.

Saturday - VIU 77, Okanagan 53

The Coyotes started a rare Saturday morning game hot. A jump shot by Ayla Mulleny put Okanagan up 10-4 three minutes into the game as they looked to do the improbable.

Then, like a lit candle in a wind tunnel, it was gone.

The Mariners hit the gas halfway through the first quarter, briefly taking the lead before losing it again, then taking it right back with a pair of free throws from Sarah Cook. From there, the Coyotes would never lead again, letting the Mariners roll to a weekend sweep and a tie atop the conference with Douglas.

Sarah Cook led all scorers with 17 points, converting all eight of her free throws. Sammy Shields did just about everything off the bench, finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and seven steals on the eve of her birthday.

Jordan Kemper posted yet another double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Antonella Luraghi had a double-double of her own, leading the Coyotes with 18 points while also adding an unfortunate 11 turnovers.

The Mariners head down the Malahat next week for Round 2 of the Island Rivalry, then return home for a do-or-die matchup with the Douglas Royals.

Men's Weekend Recap: You Having Fun Yet?

Both teams could have reason to celebrate soon. Okanagan is just one win away from a playoff spot, and the Mariners have a chance to lock up the top seed later this month.

Friday - VIU 89, Okanagan 70

These two teams are on polar opposite ends of the offensive spectrum in how they get their points, and the played as such.

A spectacular second quarter for Okanagan put the Coyotes up by two going into the half, but they would never lead again. VIU's high-octane perimeter offense kicked into overdrive, flummoxing Okanagan's post-heavy offense en route to a decisive victory.

Keyonte Beals wasn't afraid to shoot the ball, scoring 19 points while taking as many shots. Winston Cole and Kye Kotapski-Tinga were right behind him with 18 each while Kai Leighton added 16 for good measure.

Okanagan's stars showed up in equal measure. Noah Steingart and Oaklen Kowal tied for the team lead with 18 points while Phil Holmes Jr. recorded yet another double-double, dropping 17 points and 15 rebounds while playing all but one minute in the game.

Saturday - VIU 106, Okanagan 78

With Douglas' loss on Friday and Okanagan's playoff status secured, the Coyotes intended to use Saturday's game as a test ahead of their trip to Victoria in two months.

If Saturday's game is anything to go by, the Coyotes still have much to learn.

The Mariners took a 32-9 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. While Okanagan matched VIU the rest of the way, the lead was too large, pushing the Mariners to their ninth straight.

Two major things stood out for VIU today: Shooting and offensive rebounds. In addition to hitting 22 three-pointers to Okanagan's eight, the Mariners bested the Coyotes 20-10 on the offensive glass and 45-30 in total, marking the first time this season they held the advantage in offensive rebounds.

Four players reached double figures for VIU: Ekman Sohal and Levi Van Egdom tied for the team lead in points with 23, while Keyonte Beals and Winston Cole had 18 and 13 respectively. Sohal and Beals each recorded a double-double: Sohal had 23 points (15 in the first quarter alone) and 10 rebounds, while Beals had 18 and 11. The only Mariner to not crack the scoresheet was Kaleb Wilson, but he compensated with three blocks.

Phil Holmes Jr. continues to star in the Okanagan frontcourt, recording 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Oaklen Kowal dropped 14 points off the bench, while Noah Steingart added 10.

The Mariners head down the Malahat next week for a heavyweight bout with Camosun before returning home on February 20th to face Douglas.

Men's Weekend Recap: Exorcism

This weekend marks the first time the Mariners have visited North Vancouver since last year's gold match. If the Blues want to pick up another victory against VIU, they'll have to do it without star point guard Peter Li.

Friday - VIU 94, Capilano 80

The Mariners started out the game by hitting three of their first four shots from beyond the arc, but the Blues came back just as fast to take the lead, going up by as much as eight. An and-one layup from Kye Kotapski-Tinga stopped the bleeding momentarily, but they ended the first quarter still down by eight.

The Mariners have faced these kinds of deficits before. They trailed by double digits against both Langara and Camosun earlier in the season and came back to win both times. Sure enough, they turned a ten-point deficit into a four-point lead in just over four minutes, going into the half up 48-42.

Sukhraj Garcha cut the lead to three early in the third quarter, but an Ekman Sohal corner three gave the Mariners a bit of breathing room. VIU's propensity for turnovers was partially undone by Capilano's surprising inability to finish in the paint. The Blues responded appropriately by shifting their attack to the perimeter, tying the game with a Kash Lang shot. That would be as close as Capilano got to the lead, as the Mariners held serve the rest of the way to secure their sixth straight victory.

This game was mostly a duel between two strong guards. Kash Lang led the Blues with 27 points while Kye Kotapski-Tinga led the game with 28 points off the bench. Keyonte Beals chipped in with 23 of his own, while Kai Leighton, Ekman Sohal, and Winston Cole all eclipsed double digits for VIU.

Sukhraj Garcha continues a strong campaign for the Blues, dropping 16 points and seven rebounds to go with two assists and two steals.

Saturday - VIU 100, Capilano 67

Capilano's injury woes apparently spread to their coaching staff. TJ Klim missed the game for an undisclosed reason, forcing assistant Ross Tomlinson into the spotlight.

With all due respect to the Blues' coaching staff, it went as well as one would expect against the top team in the province.

Though the Blues led by one after the first quarter, they would never lead again. The Mariners rode a fourteen-point third quarter swing to steamroll a shorthanded Capilano unit and secure their nineteenth consecutive playoff birth.

VIU's lopsided victory is made even more impressive by the fact that none of their players hit the 20-point plateau. Their leading scorer was Markus Modrovic, who came off the bench and dropped 18 points and eight rebounds while sprinkling in a steal, an assist, and a block. Winston Cole and Keyonte Beals combined for 32 points, while Kaleb Wilson recorded eight rebounds in the victory.

Zach Klim and Kash Lang were Capilano's only double-digit scorers, recording 19 and 16 points respectively. Klim also added three assists, four rebounds, and two blocks.

After three weeks away from home, the Mariners return in February for their penultimate homestand of the season against the up-and-coming Okanagan Coyotes.

Women's Weekend Recap: Pecking Order

The Mariners can't afford to lose like they did last week. All three of their losses this season have come on the road, and against the top defensive team in the province with second place on the line, it's as intense as a regular season game can be.

Friday - VIU 57, Capilano 45

The Mariners raced out to a 19-point lead halfway through the second quarter, but the Blues fought back to cut the deficit to single digits.

A 33-16 halftime lead was VIU's to cherish, but the job was far from done. A three early in the third quarter galvanized the Capilano crowd, but the Mariners held strong, despite Capilano outplaying them. The top defensive team in the country looked as such, cutting the lead to eight late in the quarter.

With one frame left, their once mighty lead had dwindled to only eight. Their midrange-centric offense proved ineffective against Capilano's mighty forwards, forcing them to resort to three-pointers.

The lead dwindled to six.

Then to three.

The Mariners were dead in the water.

Until they weren't.

VIU rekindled their offensive flame as a late three from Sarah Cook punctuated a VIU victory, securing tiebreaker over Capilano.

Sarah Cook was the only Mariner in double digits, scoring 15 points. Allison Bentley recorded five points and three steals in her first start of the season, while Kaia Simpson grabbed ten rebounds coming off the bench.

Capilano's main culprit was their poor shooting, especially in the first half. As a team, the Blues shot 9-53 from the field.

Yes, you read that right.

Most of their points came from the free throw line, where they shot 23-27. Alexa Kusel led the way for Capilano with 11 points. Lucia Lopez led the game with eight rebounds.

Saturday - VIU 63, Capilano 61

After Friday's affair, things couldn't get much uglier.

Capilano raced out to an early lead but the Mariners rediscovered their clutch gene in the second quarter to enter halftime up 41-34.

They lost it just as quickly, ceding the lead to Capilano in the third quarter before taking it back on a late layup from Mackenzie Cox.

Both teams traded shots for most of the fourth quarter, but the Mariners started to pull away at the end. Capilano never let them rest, always keeping it within a basket or less.

Two clutch free throws from Cox put the Mariners up by two with eighty-three seconds left, and they had a chance to ice it with eight seconds left, but Kiayra Hohlweg had a layup blocked by Barcha Hnizdilova. She passed it to Mia Parkin, who hoisted a shot at the buzzer that clanged off the front of the rim. Given that she shot with four seconds left, I'm confused as to why Capilano didn't try to force overtime or find a better shot.

Furthermore, with Okanagan's loss to CBC the day prior, the Mariners secured their nineteenth consecutive playoff berth; the longest active streak in the PACWEST dating back to the Bill McWhinnie era.

Trista Thorn posted her first double-double of the season, scoring 12 points and adding ten rebounds.

Barcha Hnizdilova led all players in points and rebounds with 18 and 11 respectively, also securing a double-double despite the loss. Maddy Coffin came one point shy of the achievement, scoring nine points to go with her ten boards.

The playoff-bound Mariners return home next week to face the Okanagan Coyotes in their penultimate home set of the season.

Men's Weekend Recap: Show Me Ya Moves!

This weekend tilt marks the first time these two teams have met since VIU's home opener, which still stands as the only overtime game this season. Can the Falcons go the distance again?

Friday - VIU 107, Langara 97

For some reason, the livestream stopped in the middle of warmups. If it brings any consolation, Markus Modrovic returned to the lineup, which Mariners fans won't complain about. They kept the lineup changes coming with another big move: Kye Kotapski-Tinga, VIU's leading scorer for much of the first semester, was moved to the bench to make room for Keyonte Beals as the starting shooting guard.

Langara also added a new face to their lineup: Vincent Guerina made his Falcons debut after spending 2023-24 with the Douglas Royals.

Both teams traded threes in the middle of the first quarter, but the Mariners started to pull away after six straight points from Kye Kotapski-Tinga.

A three point lead isn't much, especially for two strong shooting teams like VIU and Langara, meaning the defense would have to be the difference maker for both teams. The second quarter was more of the same: Langara's offense is good, but VIU goes blow for blow with them and increases their lead. Keyonte Beals and Kye Kotapski-Tinga combined for 30 points before the end of the second quarter.

The third quarter was all VIU, punctuated by a Kai Leighton three at the buzzer. The fourth quarter saw Langara score seven straight points and even get the lead down to four points, but another Kai Leighton three looked to seal the deal. The Falcons still wouldn't go away, keeping it within three for uncomfortably long stretches.

The Mariners struggled to get their offensive mojo back as visions of their 14-point meltdown against Douglas danced through their collective minds. Thankfully, Kai Leighton put the team on his back as the Mariners barely got out of Vancouver with a win.

VIU had three players reach the 20-point plateau: Keyonte Beals had 25, Kye Kotapski-Tinga had 22, and Kai Leighton had 20. Leighton's performance was noteworthy, as 13 of those points came in the fourth quarter alone. Ryan Bastian and Winston Cole added 17 and 15 points on top of that.

Langara's offense continues to turn heads: Patrick Robinson's 24 points led the Falcons with James Zongo riding shotgun with 21. Luka Subotic and Vincent Guerina both looked comfortable running the point, combining for 14 points and ten assists. Aaron Ungprasert had a rather pedestrian performance compared to his November heroics, posting nine points, five rebounds, and a block before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Saturday - VIU 92, Langara 69

Much like their last meeting, Friday's fireworks gave way to Saturday's box-standard VIU win. Langara's lone first half highlight was a buzzer beating layup from Brahm Nair.

From there, the Mariners never looked back. Though the Falcons kept up offensively, the lead was too large to overcome as VIU won their fifth straight game in convincing fashion.

Winston Cole had 16 points at the half and finished with 17 on the day. Keyonte Beals led all scorers with 19 points while Levi Van Egdom recorded 10 points, his first time reaching that mark since November 15th. Ryan Bastian recorded a career-high 19 rebounds in the win while adding three points.

Langara's offense ran through the usual suspects. Aaron Ungprasert led the Falcons with 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while Edrielle Asirit, Patrick Robinson, and Nixon Owusu combined for 35 points.

The Mariners return to the Lower Mainland next week to face their old friend Peter Li and the Capilano Blues.