The Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) basketball program won a pair of key games last weekend, giving a boost to the playoff hopes of both the men’s and women’s team.
The KPU Eagles men defeated the Douglas College Royals 66-61 in New Westminster Friday night, before losing 88-39 to the Langara Falcons Saturday in Vancouver.
Although the win was just the second of the season for the Eagles, their 2-10 (won-lost) record leaves them one game back of the sixth-place Camosun Chargers in the Pacific Western Athletic Conference (PACWEST) standings.
Ali Bosir, a graduate of Princess Margaret Secondary scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Devin Haynes, another fifth year forward, added 17 points and six rebounds for the Eagles, who never trailed in the game.
Saturday in Vancouver, Haynes with 11 points and rookie guard Obi Udevi of Surrey with 10 were the leading scorers. Udevi was the top rebounder with 12.
“We got a much needed split this weekend,” said Eagles head coach Stefon Wilson. “We rebounded the ball and played solid defense. (But) we must execute and shoot the ball better on the offensive end of the court.”
The women lost their first game of the weekend, 60-39 to the Royals before topping Langara 44-39. They are now tied with the Capilano Blues for sixth place at 4-8.
Fleetwood Park graduate Shilpa Khyanna was the top scorer for KPU in the win, tallying 17 points to go with three assists. Christina Brown with 13 points and Amber-Lee Kavanagh with 12 rebounds also contributed to the victory.
“We brought a ton of energy to Langara on Saturday night and we did a good job on the offensive boards,” said KPU head coach Dan Nayebzadeh.
The two Eagles teams will play a pair of home games this weekend, with the Capilano Blues the visitors on Friday night and the Quest Kermodes of Squamish visiting the KPU Surrey campus on Saturday.
Game times both nights are 6 p.m. for the women and 8 p.m. for the men.
Friday night’s women’s game is a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundations’s (CBCF) B.C./Yukon chapter. Pink T-shirts will be sold to spectators for $10, and ribbons, pens and bracelets will be sold by donation. Fans can also bid on silent auction items and donate their game-night admission to CBCF.
“The women’s team deserves a lot of credit for putting this together,” said David Kent, KPU’s new director of recreation and athletics. “In my experience, student athletes don’t have a lot of time to spare, but they made the time for this because it’s important.”
