Pluzhnikov lifts T-wolves to overtime win

When the UNBC Timberwolves needed an energy boost to stop the bleeding against the Fraser Valley Cascades, Vova Pluzhnikov answered the call.

The 21-year-old native of Kharkiv, Ukraine, dug deep into his reserves when forced to play a little overtime Friday night at the Northern Sport Centre and scored nine points in the extra five-minute session to lead the UNBC Timberwolves to a 97-93 win.

It kept the T-wolves in the thick of the hunt for a U Sports Canada West men’s basketball playoff spot.

“I was just trying to be aggressive from the start, I feel if I start aggressively from the first half my team feeds off that energy and we just keep going,” said Pluzhnikov.

“As soon as the overtime started I felt the same way. I felt I needed to step up and just bring my team to the victory. I tried my best.”

Tied 79-79 heading into five minutes of extra time, the teams traded points for the first three minutes and were still deadlocked at 85-85 when Pluzhnikov started to pick up where he left off after leading UNBC with a team-high 17 points in the first 40 minutes.

His layup put the T-wolves ahead but the game was still very much in doubt until he got into scoring range again and completed a three-point play from the foul line after scoring on another layup for a 94-90 led.

Forced to foul, the Cascades put Pluzhnikov on the line again and he made good on both foul shots to put the game out of reach for the visitors.

The win left the T-wolves with a 9-10 record, bumping them to eighth place in the 17-team league. Fraser Valley (5-12) is 13th.

“We needed this one,” said Pluzhnikov. “Our future’s not set yet. We’re in the fight mode right now and we need to climb as high as possible in a playoff setting and we need to get two wins out of this weekend.

“They’re a good young team and give them credit. To come here and play their best basketball, they’re going to be really good next season, you can see that.”

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The T-wolves led for most of the fourth quarter and were three points ahead with less than a minute left when Cascade veteran Andrew Morris nailed a three to tie it.

James Agyeman answered with a short jumper to put UNBC up by two with 27 seconds left but Matt Cooley’s put-back after a Morris miss from close-in evened the count again. The T-wolves had a shot at avoiding overtime with seven seconds left, but Jovan Leamy’s attempt bounced off the rim.

Pluzhnikov’s 26 points were tops among the T-wolves. Vaggelis Loukas finished with seven points and 13 rebounds and Leamy and Agyeman each has 18 points. Morris shot a game-high 35 points, while Parmvir Bains has 14.

The same teams are back on the court at the NSC tonight at 7. For UNBC, it will mark the end of the regular season.