Go-kart outing provided winning metaphor
Thunderbirds trounce Alberta Pandas in best-of-three opener
When the UBC Thunderbirds women’s basketball team wrapped up an afternoon of team bonding at a go-kart track in Richmond on Monday afternoon, head coach Deb Huband gathered her players and delivered a singular message.
“She said to us: ‘OK, now you’re in the driver’s seat,’” Thunderbirds senior forward Alex Vieweg recounted Thursday, following UBC’S resounding 85-51 win over the Alberta Pandas in the first game of the best-of-three Canada West opening-round series at War Memorial Gym. “We came into this game so prepared and at the end of every quarter, Deb would say: ‘It’s 0-0, let’s do it again.’”
UBC actually lost the fourth quarter 15-13, a meaningless stat considering that they had doubled up on the Pandas 72-36 heading into the final frame, and finished the game with such a dominant tilt to the stat board that Alberta will have to come out with a determined early effort on Saturday (3 p.m.) to stave off elimination when Game 2 of the series tips off at War Memorial Gymnasium. An if-necessary Game 3 is slated for Sunday, also at UBC.
The Thunderbirds had six players in double-figures scoring, shot 56 per cent from the field, including 50 per cent (9-of-18) from three-point range, and at one point late in the contest had registered assists on 23 of 28 field goals.
“We’ve been trying to put 40 minutes of good basketball together and tonight was the closest we’ve gotten to that,” said Huband.
“I thought we came out very tough defensively and hot offensively. We were able to set the tone and didn’t let up for 40 minutes.”
Vieweg’s trey 3:08 into the contest put the Birds up 13-4, and they never took their foot off the gas.
Second-year guard Kris Young’s double-double of 12 points and 12 assists was one for the ages, her 12 helpers setting a new UBC singlegame record.
“She’s a team player and I think she’d tell you she enjoys the assists more than the baskets,” laughed Huband.
Guard Kristen Hughes led the Birds with 16 points, including 4-of6 three-point shooting. Vieweg with 13, Leigh Stansfield and Tori Spangehl with 12 apiece, and Zara Huntley with 10 gave the Birds their most balanced scoring effort this season.
Along with an offence that not only connected from distance, but also outscored the Pandas 46-18 in the paint, there was a stout defence that held Alberta to 32-per-cent shooting from the floor.
In Abbotsford, the Fraser Valley Cascades women made the first playoff game in any sport played on their campus a memorable one, rolling past the Calgary Dinos 63-43 in the opener of a best-of-three series. Point guard Tessa Klassen led a balanced group of Cascades with 13 points as UFV’S starting five combined to grab 12 offensive rebounds.
“Tonight was a real solid defensive effort,” said UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer. “We need to play this type of defence throughout the weekend to be successful.”
Game two is scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m.
In NCAA Div. 2 women’s play, the Simon Fraser Clan (11-6) moved into sole possession of third place in the GNAC standings with one regularseason game remaining following its 50-49 win on the road over Montana State-billings (10-7). Kristina Collins hit the winning shot, a trey, with 1:29 remaining. Nayo Raincock-ekunwe led the winners with 20 points and 17 rebounds. SFU can clinch third with a win Saturday at Seattle Pacific.
For a full report on the men’s playoff series opener in Abbotsford between UFV and Lethbridge, look for the University tab at provincesports.com