UVic cagers take Round 1 in Edmonton

From the B.C. capital to the Alberta capital, the University of Victoria Vikes swung into Edmonton to sweep the MacEwan Griffins in Canada West men’s and women’s basketball games played Friday night.

The Vikes men’s team (2-3) did it by dribbling a fine line, squandering a late lead to let the Griffins tie the game 71-71 at the end of regulation time before outscoring MacEwan (1-4) by an 18-8 margin to win going away, 89-79 in overtime.

“We played our best five minutes of the game in overtime,” said Vikes coach Craig Beaucamp.

“We essentially gave away a sure win in regulation time. But we got the job done in overtime,” he said.

“To win a game like that on the road is a testament to our players. It was a character win and an important one in a league that is so close.”

The Vikes used an incisive outside game, led by 21 points each from Grant Sitton and Wayne Tucker Jr., in the first Canada West meeting ever between the two teams.

Meanwhile, the last time coach Dani Sinclair guided her Vikes into Edmonton to play MacEwan in Canada West women’s hoops, she came away with a playoff loss but gained a child. Sinclair gave birth to son Benjamin, now eight months old, in the morning and was on the bench coaching that night in a Vikes-Griffins playoff game last spring.

Little Benjamin was in the MacEwan gymnasium stands on Friday night as this time Sinclair and her Vikes (3-2) came away with a victory, defeating the Griffins (2-3) by a 68-61 count.

Amira Giannattasio hit for 16 points to lead the Vikes while Marissa Dheensaw scored 13, Jenna Krug 10 and Nicole Karstein, Jena Bugiardini and Calli McMillan nine points each, the latter player off the bench.

Bugiardini enabled UVic to control the boards with her 11 rebounds.

UVic outscored MacEwan 18-12 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.

The Vikes and Griffins men’s and women’s teams meet again tonight in Edmonton.