UBC women head into playoffs
CANADA WEST: Young Thunderbirds face experienced Lethbridge in opening game
Athletic eligibility, like age, is merely a number, if you believe what UBC Thunderbirds guard Jessica Hanson says.
The No. 8 seeded T-Birds (10-10) host No. 9 Lethbridge Pronghorns (11-9) in the one-game opening round of the Canada West post-season at War Memorial Gymnasium on Friday (6 p.m.).
Lethbridge lists 13 players on its roster — six of them are in either their fourth or fifth and final year of Canada West eligibility.
UBC doesn’t have a single player in that category among its 12. Hanson, who’s in her third year playing at the Point Grey campus, is one of their wily veterans.
“It doesn’t mean we’re taking things lightly just because we’re a young team,” Hanson interjected. “We’re not just happy to be here. We’re excited and I know we’re going to come out strong.
“It would be awesome to move on in the playoffs, because we’re learning every step of the way, and that would be another step.”
The top 12 teams in points in the 17-team Canada West league advanced past the 20-game regular season, but they were seeded for the post-season according to ratings percentage index, a formula which takes into account strength of schedule. UBC (.5212) vaulted past Lethbridge (.4939) because of that and earned a host spot.
The T-Birds swept a January weekend doubleheader in Lethbridge, winning 65-63 and 76-65, but, as Hanson says, “that means nothing. It’s one game, and you’re know they’re going to come out ready to play.”
Third-year guard Maddison Penn led the T-Birds in scoring in the regular season, averaging 18.8 points per game. Hanson was third, at 11.5 points per game, but she’s coming off a 28-point effort in a 77-73 loss to the UVic Vikes at home on Friday in the regular season finale. Hanson was 6-for-10 from three-point range on the night.
“It was a career high, but it’s not something to celebrate. There’s still a ton of basketball to be played hopefully,” said Hanson.
The top four teams in RPI in the regular season received a bye for this play-in round, including the third-place Trinity Western Spartans (16-4).
The No.5 Vikes (16-4), who won their final 12 regular season games, finished ahead of the fourth-place Calgary Dinos (15-5) in points but were .0019 behind in RPI. The Vikes now host the No. 12 Fraser Valley Cascades (8-12) on Friday (7 p.m.) for the right to advance.
Other matchups include the No. 10 UNBC Timberwolves (9-11) visiting the No. 7 Winnipeg Wesmen (14-6) on Friday and the No. 6 Alberta Pandas (11-9) hosting the No. 11 Manitoba Bisons (9-11) on Saturday.
On the Canada West men’s side, UBC (17-3) has the No. 3 seed and a bye this round. The No. 12 Thompson Rivers WolfPack (11-9) were slated to visit the No. 5 Regina Cougars (11-9) on Thursday. No. 11 UNBC (10-10) was scheduled to face No. 6 Winnipeg (10-10) also on Thursday.
On Friday, No. 9 UVic (10-10) is at the No. 8 Saskatchewan Huskies (1010) and No. 7 Manitoba (12-8) hosts the No. 10 Brandon Bobcats (9-11).