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UFV Cascades women's basketball team clinches playoff home dates with wins

Women hosting playoff opening rounds, men qualify for postseason with wins
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The UFV Cascades women's basketball celebrate a basket on Saturday (Feb. 1).

The UFV Athletic Centre will host Canada West women's playoff basketball play-ins and quarterfinals games after the Cascades clinched at least second place in the Pacific Division over the weekend.

The women posted a pair of wins over the UNBC Timberwolves in Prince George on Friday (Jan. 31) and Saturday (Feb. 1) to run their record to 13-5 on the season.

The top two teams in the Pacific Division host a play-in and a quarterfinal games and UFV is now four games up on the third place Victoria Vikes (9-7). The Cascades also hold the tiebreaker with Victoria as they won the season series 2-1. There's also the possibility that the Cascades capture first place if the UBC Thunderbirds (14-2) falter down the stretch and UFV wins the final two games of the season.

UFV dominated UNBC with a 77-56 win on Friday and a 77-51 win on Saturday to help clinch the playoffs on home court.

Both games saw the Cascades jump out to big leads in the first half and control the remainder of the game.

Guard Maddy Gobeil led the Cascades with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals on Friday, with Julia Tuchscherer adding 12 points and 13 rebounds. Bernie Leda was UFV's top scorer on Saturday, collecting 22 rebounds, three steals and three rebounds. Gobeil had another productive game with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.

"It was a big weekend in terms of standings, so we were happy to come away with two wins," stated women's head coach Al Tuchscherer. "We used last weekend and this weekend to really try and do the things we want to see come playoff time, so it has been very important for us to keep building on details and experiment."

The women are off this weekend, but close off the season by hosting the TWU Spartans on Feb. 14 and 15.

The UFV men are also rolling and clinched a playoff spot after two wins of their own agaisnt UNBC in Prince George.

The Cascades currently sit in the fifth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division, but could finish as high as third if they win out and get some help.

The men took down UNBC 90-67 on Friday and then won 94-65 on Saturday and improved to 9-9 on the season.

Dario Lopez excelled on Friday with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Dilveer Randhawa scored a team-high 20 points on Saturday. Ismael Hernandez added 17 points on Saturday, while Lopez had 13 points and 13 boards.

"We needed two wins to clinch our playoff berth, and we came at them in waves," stated men's head coach Joe Enevoldson. "Ultimately, I think we're playing pretty good basketball at the right time.  We need to keep stacking good performances whether it be in practice or in games."

The men also have a bye week and next host the Spartans on Feb. 14 and 15.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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