Dinos wait on wild card after falling to UBC in Canada West hoops semifinals
The Calgary Dinos are in a holding pattern.
After suffering a playoff loss Saturday night, the men’s basketball team is forced to watch the scoreboard and wait. There is one wildcard berth available to the U Sports national tournament, and the Dinos will need to hold out hope that favourites win the rest of the way across the country to give them a shot at their fifth straight national tournament appearance and a shot to recollect the title they won two years ago.
The Dinos lost 82-71 in the conference semifinal to the visiting UBC Thunderbirds at the Jack Simpson Gym, playing without guard Ezeoha Santiago, who missed the game due to illness.
“We haven’t had our full lineup all year, and for us to come into this game without Santiago, who has been in the hospital, and with Brett Layton having the flu, I think we showed some guts to give ourselves a chance,” said Dinos head coach Dan Vanhooren. “Am I disappointed in the loss? Yes, but I can’t be disappointed in the performance because I think the team played well enough to win.”
With the victory, the Thunderbirds booked their ticket to the Canada West final and the U Sports Final 8, set for March 6-8 at TD Place Arena in Ottawa.
The Dinos were led by Layton, who battled through his illness to post 23 points and nine boards on the night. Third-year Mason Foreman added another 13 to the Dinos effort, while first-year Noah
Wharton added 11.
Led by 26 points from fifth-year guard Manroop Clair, the Thunderbirds outscored the Dinos 2512 in the fourth quarter as Calgary struggled from the field and at the free-throw line down the stretch, ensuring a new Canada West champion in 2020 after back-toback titles for Calgary.
UBC will now play the Alberta Golden Bears, who knocked off the Manitoba Bisons 91-85 Sunday in Edmonton, for the Canada West title next week.
“I’m just thrilled,” said UBC head coach Kevin Hanson. “To come on the road and in back-to-back years qualify for the national championships is a tough thing to do. It certainly showed the resilience, and I think our team has played really well on the road this year.
“Obviously, they missed Santiago a bit, but I thought in the fourth quarter we really showed and stepped up our defence and played a little more aggressive, and I think that was the difference.”