Heat hoops hopes historic victory helps shape program future
Heat basketball is doing its best to enter a cone of silence heading into the weekend.
The UBC Okanagan women’s team is hosting the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday and Saturday afternoon in Canada West play.
While the young Heat squad is still buzzing after an historic win over the Victoria Vikes two weeks ago, they’re not about to entertain the idea this weekend’s matchups are somehow there for the taking.
“We’re trying not to hear that,” coach Bobby Mitchell said. “That stuff doesn’t matter.”
That’s because the Heat (2-12) is still doing its best to build the fledgling program into a contender. Overlooking the T’Wolves (3-9) comes at their own peril.
UNBC took two wins against UBCO last season in Prince George. This will be their first and only meetings this season.
The Heat women are also well aware that they followed their 83-77 win over the Vikes in Victoria on Jan. 4 with consecutive losses to the Alberta Pandas last weekend.
It leaves the coach with a tricky balancing act. He wants the club to remember the feeling it had beating Victoria — UBCO’s firstever win against UVic — but also remain humble and hungry.
“It gave us belief,” Mitchell said, “and gave us confidence going into Alberta and going forward.”
He credited players such as Ana Evans, Katie Punia and Kelsey Falk with playing some of their best basketball this season.
Evans had 17 points — including going 2for-3 on three-point shots — and four rebounds in the win over UVic.
“She played probably her most consistent basketball,” the coach said.
Falk added 16 points and 10 rebounds while Punia provided the intangibles.
Falk had been playing more in place of injured rookie Jaeli Ibbetson, who returned against Alberta after missing two months with a broken hand.
Falk’s play may have been the silver lining to losing Ibbestson for as long as they did, the coach said.
“She grabbed it,” Mitchell said. “She ran with it.”
The Heat will now hope Ibbetson and Falk can create even more together. Ibbetson, a KSS graduate, is averaging 15.5 points and 11 rebounds per game.
UBCO and the T’Wolves play tonight at 6 p.m., and at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
After losing twice to both Victoria and Alberta the past two weekends, the 1-13 men’s team returns home to embark on a four-game homestand. The visiting Timberwolves (4-8) come to town after dropping two matchups against UFV last weekend at home. The men’s game begins after the women’s game.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
The UBCO team with the best chance at playoffs hits the road this weekend.
But it will be a tough task for the Heat as they travel to Langley to face the defending Canada West champion Trinity Western Spartans. UBCO is coming off a four-set victory over Winnipeg on Saturday and is tied with UBC for the final playoff spot at 6-8. TWU is No. 1 in the latest U SPORTS rankings thanks to a 14-2 record.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
The Heat men also face a tough task this weekend when they travel to Langley to face the No. 1 men’s team in the country, the TWU Spartans. UBCO was able to nab a set off the Winnipeg Wesmen last weekend, but their playoff hopes are dwindling with three weeks to play in the regular season.
The Spartans are once again the class of Canada West and have dropped just five sets all season.