VIU Mariners basketball teams will be among the favourites as they tip off looking for provincial gold.
Vancouver Island University’s women’s and men’s b-ball teams concluded their respective PacWest regular seasons this past weekend in their home gym and will immediately prepare to play at provincials this week, Feb. 27-29, in North Vancouver.
The Mariners women earned two more wins this past weekend against the Camosun Chargers, 97-71 and then 74-45.
Amber Lease led VIU on Friday with 18 points, with C.J. Buckley adding 14. The next night it was Danielle Vanbergen who led the way with 19 points while Kayla Gromme added 11.
With the season now in the books, Lease finished first in the PacWest with 4.65 assists per game and Shayce Johnston was second in the league with 8.4 rebounds per game.
In men’s play this past weekend, Brett Christensen scored 22 points Friday to lead VIU and Tyus Barfoot added 20 points and 12 rebounds. The next day, the Mariners won 111-106 in overtime after scoring six points in the final 15 seconds to tie the game. Landon Radliff hit the game-tying three and led his team with 32 points. Cameron Gay added 27 points and Barfoot had 19 points and 15 rebounds.
Barfoot finished first in the PacWest this season with 10.8 rebounds per game and VIU Mariners players were first, second, third and fourth in the conference in steals, led by Radliff with 3.44 per game.
GAME ON … The PacWest championships at Capilano start Thursday, Feb. 27, but both the VIU women (17-1) and men (16-2) have first-round byes into Friday’s semifinals. The Mariners women are hosting the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championships in the VIU gym March 18-21.
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