Men's Championship Preview

These are the six men's basketball teams ready to open the 2017 PACWEST Championship tournament on Thursday at 3:00pm.

#1 VIU Mariners

They finished the regular season winning 13 in a row and haven’t lost in 2017, as a matter of fact their last lost came on November 12th at Langara.  They can beat teams in so many different ways as the defending PACWEST champions.

PACWEST Record – 16-2
Home 8-1, Road 8-1
Points Per Game – 86.8
Field Goal % - 42.6%

Players to Watch:

Usama Zaid: The first year Mariner has been brilliant this season at the top or near the top of most statistics.  He leads the PACWEST in scoring dropping 28 points game and is shooting 44.5% from the field.  He also led the Mariners with nine rebounds a game and 48 assists, not to mention his 40 steals.

Bryson Cox: A big man that can shoot inside and outside.  He shot 42.9% from the field and 35% from the behind the arch while averaging 16.6 points a game.

Jalen Schlegel: Another offensive threat averaging 14.4 points a game while leading his team in shooting; 59.9% from the field,  He was very good on the boards as well, averaging 8.7 a game.

Longest Conference winning streak: 13 straight games to end the season following a loss November 12.

Last FIVE Playoff Games

2016 – CCAA Bronze Semi-Final – Loss – 96-77 Montmorency
2016 – CCAA Championship Semi-Final – Loss – 87-82 NAIT Ooks
2016 – CCCAA Quarterfinal – Win – 90-77 Keyano Huskies
2016 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Win – 97-73 Camosun Chargers
2016 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Win – 87-69 Capilano Blues

2016-2017 Record at Quest University (site of the Provincial championships):
February 4th – 89-78 (Win)
November 11th  – 79-68 (Win)

#2 Langara Falcons

The highest scoring offence in the PACWEST averaging 88.5 points a game.  They are an extremely balanced offence with seven players averaging double-digits, led by Drake Downer’s 16 points per game.    The Falcons won four of their last five games entering the PACWEST Provincial Championship.

PACWEST Record – 14-4
Home 9-2, Road 5-2
Points Per Game – 88.5
Field Goal % - 43.2%

Players to Watch:

Ravi Basra:  When the reigning Rookie of the Yea plays well, the Falcons are flying.  He’s averaging 15 points a game, shooting 37.6%.  He leads the PACWEST averaging 7.8 assists a game.

Drake Downer:  In his fourth season, he leads a talented cast of players with 16 points a game. He’s been banged up, playing in 13 of the Falcons’ 18 games but is a threat each time he’s on the floor.

Grant Galbraith:  He’s one of only two Falcons to start every game this season.  He’s been a rock on both sides of the floor averaging 11.8 points a game and 3.7 rebounds.  Offensively he leads his club shooting 57.1% from the field.

Longest Conference winning streak: They won five straight games to open the season from October 28 – November 18

Last FIVE Playoff Games

2016 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 85-77 – Camosun Chargers
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

2016-2017 Record at Quest University (site of the Provincial championships):
January 12th – 84-63 (Win)

#3 Capilano Blues

A team that was so hot out of the gate, now limps into the Championship tournament losing five straight.  It’s been a tail of two semesters for the Blues.   In the first semester they were rolling winning five of six games, but after the holiday break they have won just five times in 12 games.  Thursday afternoon they will face the sixth seeded Camosun Chargers in a quarterfinal.

PACWEST Record: 10-8
Home 5-2, Road 5-6
Points Per Game: 78.8
Field Goal%: 39.5%

Players to Watch:

Greet Gill:  He was the Blues “triple crown” winner, leading the club in scoring with 17.3 points a game, rebounding with 9.8 a game and assists with three a game.

Hasan Phills: He has really stepped up as of late, averaging 10 points a game and shooting 35.6% from the field.    He also has the ability to dish the ball collecting 34 assists in the regular season.

Chris Loreth:  He gives the Blues’ coaching staff quality minutes off the bench and averages six points a game.    

Longest Conference winning streak: The Blues had a pair of four game winning streaks; October 28 – November 10 and November 19 – January 13

Last FIVE Playoff Games

2016 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Loss – 93-90 Quest Kermodes (OT)
2016 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 87-69 VIU Mariners
2016 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 83-74 Douglas Royals
2015 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Loss – 109-97 Douglas Royals
2015 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 92-69 Langara Falcons

2016-2017 Record at Quest University (site of the Provincial championships):
February 18th – 93-90 (Loss)
November 18th – 84-72 (Loss)

#4 Douglas College Royals

They finished with an identical record as the Capilano Blues, but lost in the head to head, so the Royals claim the fourth seed and will face the host Quest Kermodes in Thursday’s quarterfinal.   They are one of the hottest teams coming into the Championship Tournament winning five of their six games in the month of February; one of which coming at Quest just two weeks ago.   Overall they are 3-0 against the Kermodes this season.  

PACWEST Record: 10-8
Home 5-3, Road 5-5
Points Per Game: 76.7
Field Goal%: 40.2%

Players to Watch:

Malcolm Mensah: He started 17 of 18 games this season and led the Royals averaging 17.6 points a game shooting 45.7% from the field.  He also knocked down 22-three pointers shooting 38.6%.  He led the Royals in rebounds collecting seven a game.  Incredibly he took 221 shots this season alone.

Grant Campbell:  At the point guard position, he’s one of the best in the business scoring 16 points a game along with over two assists a game.  He attempted a team high 87-three pointers.

Reese Morris:  He makes his living around the hoop, shooting 55% from the field, mostly high percentage shots.  The former Blue averaged 15.6 points a game and a team high eight rebounds.

Longest Conference winning streak: They had a pair of three game winning streaks in the second semester; January 28 – February 10 and February 13 – February 18

Last FIVE Playoff Games

2016 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 83-74 Capilano Blues
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

2016-2017 Record at Quest University (site of the Provincial championships):
November 19th – 79-64 (Win)
February 17th – 76-68 (Win)

#5 Quest Kermodes

They are the 2017 hosts and will face the #4 seeded Douglas College Royals on Thursday in a quarterfinal.  They are the defending bronze medalists who have had an up and down year with a brand new head coach.   They limp into the PACWEST Championship winning just three times since the calendar turned to the New Year.  All that said, the Kermodes should have a large fan base which will help motivate them, especially on Thursday night.

PACWEST Record – 6-12
Home 5-5, Road 1-7
Points Per Game - 75.1
Field Goal% - 41.3

Players to Watch:

Dallas Searles: He’s one of the best across the PACWEST, finishing second in Conference scoring with 20.9 points a game.  He shot 40.3% from the field and 37.6% from downtown.  The Seattle native can also dish the ball with 51 assists this season and averaged over five rebounds a game.

Noah DeRappard-Yuswack: Not only the longest last name in the PACWEST, but also a threat on both sides of the floor.  He averaged 15.4 points a game and a Conference high 11.7 rebounds.  The multi-sport athlete also shot a team high 57% from the field.

Paul Getz: He’s one of only two Kermodes to start every game this season.  He adds toughness under the net averaging four boards a game and eight points.  Under the hoop the Walnut Grove grad shot 40% from the field.

Longest Conference winning streak: The Kermodes had a two game win streak from November 12 - 18

Last FIVE Playoff Games

2016 – PACWEST Bronze Medal  Game – Win – 93-90 Capilano Blues (OT)
2016 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 84-64 – Camosun Chargers
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

#6 Camosun Chargers

They are hoping lightening can strike twice; last season as the sixth seed the Chargers upset Langara and Quest on route to a PACWEST silver medal and a berth in the CCAA Nationals.  The Chargers won just once in the month of February, beating the team they will face in Thursday’s quarterfinal, the Capilano Blues.

PACWEST Record – 5-13
Home 3-5, Road 2-8
Points Per Game – 77.4
Field Goal %: 39%

Players to Watch:

Evan Woodson: He played in 16 games this season and led the Chargers with 15.9 points a game shooting 33% from the field and took 128 shots from behind the arch.

Mathew Hampton: In his sophomore season Hampton was a solid contributor averaging 13.1 points a game shooting 42.7% from the field.   He also shot 34% from downtown.

Rulon Schmidt: The only Charger to start all 18 games this season and he averaged 11.4 points a game shooting 35% from the field.  He collected a team high 5.3 rebounds a game and made 15 steals.

Longest Conference winning streak: The Chargers didn’t win consecutive games this season.

Last FIVE Playoff Games

2016 – CCAA 7th/8th Place Game – Loss – 82-65 Mohawk (OCAA)
2016 – CCAA Bronze Quarterfinal – Loss – 88-64 Montmorency (RESQ) 
2016 – CCAA Quarterfinal – Loss – 83-51 Humber Hawks (OCAA)
2015 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Loss – 97-73 VIU Mariners
2015 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Win – 84-64 Quest Kermodes

2016-2017 Record at Quest University (site of the Provincial championships):
February 3rd – 82-69 (Loss)
November 12th – 92-83 (Loss)