MBB Provincial Championship Preview

The final six men's teams are ready to make a run at Provincial GOLD.  Here is a closer look at the teams that will open the Championship beginning on Thursday.

#1 VIU Mariners

They can beat you in so many different ways.  The Mariners are extremely well balanced going undefeated this season and coming off a Provincial Gold Medal last season and a CCAA Silver.

PACWEST Record – 21-0
Home – 10-0, Road – 11-0

Players to Watch:

Josh Ross: The first year Mariner has been brilliant this season at the top or near the top of most statistics.  He’s scoring over 20 points a game, shooting 49% from the field and 37% from downtown.  He’s also averaged 11 rebounds a game and four assists.

Jason Fortin: He is shooting 45% from the field this season and averaging 13.3 points game and just over nine boards.   He started all 21 games and played significant minutes.

John Thompson: Not only responsible for dishing the basketball, but is second in scoring averaging over 16 points a game.    He is shooting 39% from the field and is averaging two steals a game.

Longest Conference winning streak: 21 games as the Mariners haven’t lost a game this regular season.

Last FIVE Playoff Games
2015 – CCAA National Gold Medal Game – Loss – 68-62 Humber College Hawks
2015 – CCAA Championship Semi-Final – Win – 92-88 Mohawk College
2015 – CCCAA Quarterfinal – Win – 66-62 Lethbridge College Kodiaks
2015 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Win – 82-76 Langara Falcons
2015 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Win - 88-82 Douglas Royals

2015-2016 Record at Capilano University (site of the Provincial championships):
November 7th – 90-74 (Win)
February 12th – 86-66 (Win)

#2 Quest Kermodes

The Quest Kermodes receive a bye in the PACWEST Provincial championships for the first time after finishing second.  The club was upset in last season’s quarterfinal as the third seed and haven’t won a post season game since winning the Bronze medal in 2014 beating Capilano, who just happen to be hosting this year’s championships.

PACWEST Record - 18-3
Home - 9-1, Road – 9-2

Players to Watch:

Theo VandenEkart: He’s the team’s top scorer averaging 17 points a game, primarily coming off the bench as he started just eight games.  He shot 47% from the field and 41% from behind the three-point line.

Dallas Searles: He started every game this season and averaged 13.6 points a game, shooting 39% from the field and 33% from downtown.  He leads his club in assists and is one of the engines that makes the Kermodes offence go.

Mike West: He has been a factor all season long in just his first year.  He’s averaging 12.3 points game and is shooting 41% from the field.

Longest Conference winning streak: the Kermodes have had a pair of six game win streaks from October 29 – November 20 and their final six games from February 6-26.

Last FIVE Playoff Games
2015 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 87-82 Capilano Blues
2014 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Win – 96-77 Capilano Blues
2014 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 90-74 VIU Mariners
2014 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 97-61 Douglas Royals
2013 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Win – 103-86 Douglas Royals

2015-2016 Record at Capilano University (site of the Provincial championships):
November 14th – 80-60 (Win)
February 16th – 76-73 (Win)

#3 Langara Falcons

The Langara Falcons come into the Provincial championships losing two of their last three games, all on the road.  They are hoping to get back to the Gold Medal game for the fourth consecutive year, after winning the silver medal as the second seed a year ago.  This season they are #3 and will face the #6 Camosun Chargers in the quarterfinal.

PACWEST Record – 13-8
Home – 6-3, Road – 7-5

Players to Watch:

Drake Downer: He’s bangs down low with some of the best in the Conference and averages a team high 17.2 points, eight rebounds a game and shoots 42% from the field.  He has started every game this season averaging 33 minutes a game.

Ravi Basra: He could be the PACWEST Rookie of the Year averaging 16 points a game and leads the Conference in assists.   He has started every game this season, is shooting 43% from the field and averages 36 minutes a contest.

Grant Galbraith: He has been one of the hottest Falcons coming into the Provincials averaging 12.6 points a game shooting 50% from the field.  He’s averaging over six boards a game and leads his club with 13 blocked shots.

Longest Conference winning streak: winners of four straight from November 6-14, including two road games, one of which at Capilano, the hosts of the Provincial championship.

Last FIVE Playoff Games
2015 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Loss – 82-76 VIU Mariners
2015 – PACWEST Semi-final – Win – 92-69 Capilano Blues
2014 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Win – 90-84 VIU Mariners
2014 – PACWEST Semi-final – Win – 97-76 Capilano Blues
2013 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Win – 78-74 VIU Mariners

2015-2016 Record at Capilano University (site of the Provincial championships):
November 13th – 84-79 (Win)
February 20th – 78-64 (Win)

#4 Capilano Blues

It was an up and down season for the Blues who could score points with the Conference’s leading scorer, but were not as effective on the defensive side.  They won their regular season finale to finish fourth in the Conference and will be home team in Thursday’s quarterfinal against Douglas on their home floor.  The Blues are hoping to medal in this year’s Provincials after losing in the Bronze medal game the last two seasons.

PACWEST Record: 11-10
Home – 6-6, Road 5-4

Players to Watch:

Martin Bogajev: The Conference’s leading scorer with over 21 points a game and one of the smoothest strokes in the game.  In all he’s shooting 43% from the field and 44% from downtown.

Brendan Bailey: A nice compliment to Bogajev, he’s averaging 12.6 points a game playing 25 minutes.  Bailey has heated up in the last few games of the regular season and has shot 39% from the field during the campaign.

Reese Morris: He shooting 46% from the field and averaging six points a game and just over five rebounds each contest.  He will have to play an important part defensively for the Blues after leading the club with 16 blocks this season.

Longest Conference winning streak: The Blues won three in a row from January 9 – 16.  Two of these wins were on their home floor.

Last FIVE Playoff Games
2015 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Loss – 109-97 Douglas Royals
2015 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 92-69 Langara Falcons
2015 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 87-82 Quest Kermodes
2014 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Loss – 95-77 Quest Kermodes
2014 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 97-76 Langara Falcons

#5 Douglas Royals

The Royals will be looking for the last laugh in the quarterfinals against the Capilano Blues.  In the final regular season game the Blues beat the Royals, in a game that really meant nothing in the standings.  The Royals are the defending bronze medalists, beating the Blues last year 109-97.

PACWEST Record: 10-11
Home – 5-6, Road – 5-5

Players to Watch:

Grant Campbell: The Royals leading scorer, putting up 15 points a game in over 25 minutes.  He’s shooting 41% from the field and averaging almost six rebounds a contest.  Campbell has started each game he has appeared in and leads his team in assists as well as points.

Ethan McKean: He is scoring 11.3 points a game and has the ability to take over a match if he can stay consistent. He leads the Royals with 61-three pointers.

Kristian Hildebrandt: He picked up his play in the tail end of the regular season and is playing his best basketball heading into the Provincial championships.  Averaging eight points a game and four boards, he’ll be an important player in distributing the ball.  He shoots 37% from the field.

Longest Conference winning streak: Winners of four straight from January 29 – February 12 which started with a win over Capilano, their quarterfinal opponent on Thursday.

Last FIVE Playoff Games
2015 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Win – 109-97 Capilano Blues
2015 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 88-82 VIU Mariners
2015 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 79-66 Camosun Chargers
2014 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 97-61 Quest Kermodes
2013 – PACWEST Bronze Medal  Game – Loss – 103-86 Quest Kermodes

2015-2016 Record at Capilano University (site of the Provincial championships):
October 31st – 79-91 (Loss)
February 26th – 73-90 (Loss)

#6 Camosun Chargers

The Charges limp into the Provincial championship losing seven of their last 10 games.    They will look to win their first quarterfinal game since the 2012 season when they went onto win Provincial bronze.  They’ve lost three straight quarterfinal games.

PACWEST Record: 8-13
Home – 3-6, Road – 5-7

Players to Watch:

Ted Neilson: The Chargers second leading scorer with 11.8 points a game and shooting an impressive 59% from the field in the 16 games he played.  Neilson has also collected over eight rebounds each contest.

Evan Woodson: The Chargers leading scorer dropping in 12.2 points a game and leading the club in minutes averaging 22 each game.  Woodson is shooting 41% from the field and 37% from downtown.

AJ Beaudry: He will need to play a large role if the Chargers want to get out of the first round for the first time since 2012. He averaged 10 points a game and led his team in assists.    During the regular season he shot 46% from the field and hit 14 shots from three point land.

Longest Conference winning streak: They won three straight road games from November 7-14, including a seven point win at #5 Douglas.

Last FIVE Playoff Games
2015 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss - 79-66 Douglas Royals
2014 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 71-67 Capilano Blues
2013 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 53-50 Quest Kermodes
2012 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Win – 84-78 Capilano Blues
2012 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 93-84 UNBC Timberwolves

2015-2016 Record at Capilano University (site of the Provincial championships):
November 6th – 64-77 (Loss)
February 13th – 73-76 (Loss)