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UFV Cascades basketball sweeps MacEwan

Men's, women's basketball teams win all four games on home court
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UFV's Andrew Morris drives to the lane against the MacEwan Griffins on Saturday.

The UFV Cascades men's and women's basketball teams put it all together this weekend, winning all four games on Friday and Saturday against the MacEwan Griffins.

The men finished the weekend with an exclamation point, disposing of the Griffins 89-82 on Saturday. They were led by a fantastic night of shooting from guards Vijay Dhillon and Manny Dulay.

The pair shot a combined 75 per cent from the field, and 79 per cent from the three point line. Dulay scored 23 points, while Dhillon added 19. Mark Johnson had a solid game with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Andrew Morris scored 13 off the bench.

Cascades head coach Adam Friesen said his team stepped up this weekend.

"I think this was our best weekend of the year," he said. "Having a hot start really helps. I think we were able to get a comfort level out there and moved the ball really well."

Ball movement was a big factor in the Cascades win, and it proved with six different players all getting two assists or more on Saturday.

"Everyone was helping each other out and it made a huge difference," Friesen said. "If we don't have that type of ball movement the game becomes more individual and that's not our strength this year."

The Cascades also took care of business on Friday, beating the Griffins 77-72. Navjot Bains had a team-high 16 points and seven rebounds, while Morris added 14 off the bench.

The men's team record is now five wins and five losses after the pair of wins, and they're tied for ninth in the Canada West.

The Cascades women's basketball team had a similar story, with a 73-70 win over the Griffins on Friday and a 59-55 win on Saturday.

Kayli Sartori was dominant on Friday, with 31 points and six rebounds, while Taylor Claggett added 19 points.

Sartori struggled on Saturday, and Claggett (16 points 16 rebounds) and Syd Williams (13 points, six rebounds) stepped up to lead UFV.

Despite the wins, women's head coach Al Tuchscherer said his team needs to be more consistent.

"I think we're really inconsistent right now," he said. "Defensively we're pretty solid, but offensively we're not executing that well. I think we were fortunate to get a win tonight (Saturday)."

The women allowed the Griffins to get back into the game in the third quarter, and Tuchscherer said the Griffins were causing them problems.

"They did a good job keeping us out of the pace we wanted to play at," he said. "Their pressure was weighing on us a bit."

The women's record is now seven wins and three losses, and they're tied for fifth in the Canada West.

"I'm pleased with our record but I don't think we've played great basketball," he said. "We have some concerns about where we are from a tactical standpoint."

The teams next travel to Calgary to take on the Dinos on Thursday and Friday. The teams next home games are on Jan. 27 when the TRU Wolfpack come to town.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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