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March 2, 2011 + Over the Edge

Bye Gives T-Wolves Upper-Hand

Men's basketball team primed to defend provincial and national championship

BROCK CAMPBELL SPORTS EDITOR

The T-Wolves will begin the defence of their national title at the BCAA provincials march 3rd

n taking advantage of an extra days rest en route to defending their provincial championship. After completing the regular season with a 16-2 record the T-Wolves have been rewarded with a bye to the semi-final of the BCCAA Provincial Championships beginning March 3rd in Abbotsford.

After starting the season 5-2 with both losses coming consecutively at home and dropping to third in the standings,

the T-Wolves have strung together an eleven game winning streak to move me them into second place, good enough for the final playoff bye.

“Getting the bye has been one of our main goals all season.”, said Head Coach Todd Jordan while discussing his team’s free pass in the post-season, 5 “Anytime you get a chance to rest while the other team’s beat up one another is a huge advantage.”

UNBC will await the winner of the Capilano Blues (CAP) and Camosun Chargers, two teams the T-Wolves have gone _ undefeated

the number one seed BROCK CAMPBELL Vancouver Island Mariners (VIU) will await the winner between UBC-Okanagan and Douglas College. VIU clinched the top seed with a 17-1 record, with their only loss coming against UNBC.

CAP the number three seed in the tournament, having started the season by winning their first nine games was once the top team in the league, but has wavered since visiting Prince George. UNBC handed CAP their first two losses of the

T-Wolves Ready for Familiar Playoff Foe

Women’s basketball team prepares for post-season

BROCK CAMPBELL SPORTS EDITOR

After a disappointing exit from last year’s provincial championships, the T-Wolves are looking to avenge their semi-final upset in 2010 and bring the BCCAA banner back home to Prince George. In order to do so UNBC will have to beat the team that knocked them out of contention last post- season, the Camosun Chargers.

UNBC entered last season’s championships as the number one seed with a 17-1 record, giving them an immediate bye to the semi-finals. However, a heart-wrenching 57-56 loss to Camosun ended any hopes of a provincial championship. It’s only fitting that with the 2011 post-season beginning March 3rd in Abbotsford the T-Wolves first opponent is Camosun.

For the T-Wolves it doesn’t matter who they play, however, given their playoff history with the Chargers there is a little more incentive to win. Interim Head Coach Rachel Hulme expressed that “Our team is confident no matter what team we’re matched up with. Against Camosun the girls really want to come out and play hard and get a win.”

UNBC and Camosun finished the regular season ranked fourth and fifth respectively in the BCCAA. As a result they will go head to head Thursday night in the quarterfinal, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals against the number one ranked Capilano Blues (CAP). On the other side of the bracket the UBC-Okanagan Heat will face off against the Langara Falcons, with the number two ranked Vancouver Island Mariners (VIU) awaiting the winner.

After winning seven games in a row to give them a 10-3 record, the T-Wolves dropped two of their final five games, to finish the season at 13-5. It just so happens one of those losses came against Camosun in week eight of competition, when UNBC visited Victoria for a double-header. The T- Wolves punished the Chargers in the first game 77-59, but came out flat the following game, and were torched by UNBC transfer and Prince George native Chelsea McMullen who put up thirty-one points against the T-Wolves, to beat UNBC 70-59.

Shutting down McMullen and Chargers point guard Aija Salvadore will be priority number one for the T-Wolves. McMullen is second in league scoring with twenty points a game, followed by her teammate Salvadore in fourth, with eighteen. In the buildup to the playoffs Hulme noted the importance of stopping Camosun’s stars, “We’re going to

year and the Blues have struggled to win since, finishing the season 13-5. Camosun on the other hand finished below .500 with an 8-10 record good enough for the sixth playoff berth. However, the Chargers did give the T-Wolves a scare in their last meeting. UNBC trailed by as much as seventeen in the third quarter, but the T-Wolves rallied behind Inderbir Gill’s twenty-six points, and outscored Camosun 29-12 in the final quarter.

For Jordan it doesn’t matter who the T-Wolves meet in the semi-final, he plans on having his team prepared for whoever advances. “I know both teams played us pretty tough” said Jordan, “Camosun almost beat us and shot the ball really well. Any team could win so we got to make sure we are ready for both.”

UNBC has proven they can beat both Camosun and CAP, but Jordan noted the importance of not getting too overconfident, “We have to fight the tendency to relax” said Jordan, “It’s something we’ve stressed all year. The key for us is to come out and play hard for four quarters. If we do that, and with the talent we have, we are a hard team to beat.” Experience will also play a factor, Jordan pointed out that his veteran guys are pretty good at bringing it every night and he has confidence they'll do that in their semi-final matchup.

With a win in the semis the T-Wolves will automatically advance to the National Championships in Niagara, Ontario. Unlike past seasons the BCCAA has been awarded two national bids, therefore, a win over Camosun or CAP will send the T-Wolves east for a chance to defend their National Championship.

The T-Wolves semi-final game is scheduled for 3:00pm on Friday, March 4th. If you can’t make the journey to Abbotsford, games will be broadcast live on sportscanada.tv. Follow the link on the BCCAA website.

Jenn Knibbs and the T-Wolves begin march 3rd in Abbotsford

focus a lot on defence, and work at limiting the touches of their key players (McMullen and Salvadore).”

If the T-Wolves are able to beat the Chargers a matchup with the Capilano Blues is a promising sign for UNBC. CAP finished the season 16-2, but both those losses came at the hands of the T-Wolves. In their first meeting UNBC mopped the floor with the Blues in a 99-72 beat down, and swept the season series with an 83-74 win in January. However, since then CAP was won all its games including two wins over VIU a team that beat UNBC once this year on the T-Wolves home

court.

The provincial champion will travel to Niagara, Ontario for CCAA National Basketball Championships taking place March 17-19.

UNBC’s quarterfinal game starts at 6:00pm, if you can’t make the trip to Abbotsford live games are broadcast by sportscanada.tv. Follow the BCCAA Provincial Basketball Championships link at the BCCAA website.