Travelling to Manitoba wasn’t a friendly experience for the UFV Cascades men’s basketball team.
The Cascades matched up in round one of the Canada West playoffs against the University of Manitoba Bisons, but lost on Thursday and Friday to end their season.
Game one on Thursday saw the Bisons jump out to a 9-0 lead to start the game, and cruise to a 78-59 win. The Cascades struggled from the field, making just two of 19 three-point shots and shooting only 34 per cent overall.
Kevon Parchment led UFV with 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Matt Cooley added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Friday’s game saw the Cascades put together a remarkable comeback to push the game into overtime, but ultimately lose 77-72.
UFV trailed 64-52 with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but ended regulation time on a 12-0 run. A pair of Parchment jumpers bookended eight straight points from Nate Brown to send the game to an extra frame tied at 64.
The Bisons built a five-point lead in the extra session, but the Cascades clawed their way back once again – Parchment hit a tough contested shot on the fast break to cut the deficit to 73-72 with 34 seconds left.
But on the ensuing possession, Manitoba guard Ilarion Bonhomme drilled a three-pointer from the left wing with 12 seconds remaining to make it a two-possession game, effectively punching his team’s ticket to the Canada West Final Four.
Despite the loss, Cascades head coach Adam Friesen liked his team’s effort.
“I’m really happy with the guys today – we bounced back with an incredible effort,” he said. “We played tougher, we played more competitively, and sometimes you lose close ones.”
In what turned out to be the final game of his university career, Parchment led the Cascades with 21 points and added nine rebounds, five steals, two assists and one block. Brown finished with 19 points and 10 boards, and Manny Dulay chipped in with 10 points.
In other Canada West news, several Cascades were named to the league’s all-star and all-rookie teams on Monday.
Parchment and women’s star Kayli Sarotri were both named to their respective first-team all-star squads, while Cascades rookie and MEI grad Taylor Claggett was named to the Canada West women’s all-rookie team.