The Final Six
The final six women's teams are ready to tip-off the 2020 PACWEST basketball championship
The top six women's teams are ready for the 2020 PACWEST Championship tournament which opens at 12:30pm on Thursday on the campus of Capilano University.
#1 VIU Mariners
For the second straight season the Mariners are the top seed heading into the PACWEST championship with an identical 17-1 record. Their only set back was January 25th at Capilano, the site of the tournament. They finished the regular season winning seven straight and hit the 100 point plateau twice during this streak. They have already qualified for the CCAA national championship tournament as the host team and will welcome the nation March 18-21, 2020.
PACWEST Record – 17-1
Home 9-0, Road 8-1
Points Per Game – 80.1
Field Goal % -41.1%
Players to Watch:
#2 Amber Lease: She has been the engine that makes the Mariners machine go averaging a team high 11.6 points a game as the point guard. She shot 38% from the field and led her team with 79 assists and 36 steals.
#12 Shayce Johnston: She has been a force down low for the Mariners this season. She averages 8.4 rebounds and tallies over 10 points game.
#4 Danielle Vanbergen: She can dial it up from long distance and has led the Mariners with 39-three pointers made. She is the only Mariner to start all 18 games and averages over 10 points a game.
Longest Conference winning streak: They won 10 straight to open the season from November 1 – January 19th.
Last FIVE Playoff Games
2019 – CCAA Bronze Medal Game – Loss – 74-64 Dawson College Blues
2019 – CCAA Semi-Final – Loss – 61-37 – Olds College
2019 – CCAA Gold Quarterfinal – Win – 93-89 – St Clair College
2019 – CCAA Quarterfinal – Win – 71-61 – Keyano College
2019 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Win – 82-77 – Capilano Blues
#2 Capilano Blues
Once again this season the Blues are the second seed heading into the PACWEST championship tournament, one win better than last season. They are the host of this year’s event and the only team to have beaten the top ranked Mariners this season. They’ve won six straight heading into the post season and are hoping the home cooking gives them an advantage. They will get a bye into the semi-finals on Friday.
PACWEST Record – 15-3
Home 8-1, Road 7-2
Points Per Game – 71.6
Field Goal % - 38.2%
Players to Watch:
#10 Reiko Ohama: She is the floor general and averages a team high 12.4 points a game. She’s averaging over three assists a game as well.
#12 Mackenzie Smith: She gives the Blues a major presence in the paint averaging over 10 points a game and over seven rebounds. She’s started every game and leads her club with 15 blocks this season.
#8 Kate Mallette: She has caught fire in the month of February averaging almost 17 points a game and is giving the Blues quality minutes.
Longest Conference winning streak: They have won 6 straight heading into the playoffs from January 31 - February 22.
Last FIVE Playoff Games
2019 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Loss – 82-77 VIU Mariners
2019 – PACWEST Semi-Final - Win – 84-64 Camosun Chargers
2018 – CCAA Bronze Medal Semi-Final – Loss – 83-67 College Montmorecy
2018 – CCAA Bronze Quarterfinal – Won – 76-64 Medicine Hat College
2018 – CCAA Quarterfinal – Loss – 73-69 Dawson College Blues
#3 Douglas Royals
Heading into the PACWEST championship tournament the Royals are playing their best basketball winning six of their last seven games. The returning players and coaching staff will look to put last year’s quarterfinal upset loss on their home floor completely behind them when they face the #6 Okanagan Coyotes on Thursday. The Royals swept the three meetings during the regular season and will be looking for more this week in the quarters.
PACWEST Record – 11-7
Home 6-3, Road 5-4
Points Per Game – 71.3
Field Goal % - 37.5%
Players to Watch:
#8 Sydney Fraess: The second year guard has become a major factor for the Royals offence leading her team with 13.2 points a game. She’s had the hot hand all season with a 48% field goal percentage and she leads her team with 6.9 rebounds a game.
#13 Cassandra Brinn: She seems to be getting hot at the right time averaging 10.9 points a game shooing 36% from the field. She’s also third in team assists with 46 in total.
#3 Hailey Van Roekel: Just a rookie but has made an impact this season virtually second in each team category including scoring, rebounds, assists, steals and free throw shooting.
Longest Conference winning streak: They had a five game winning streak from November 9 - 29, three of those wins coming on the road.
Last FIVE Playoff Games
2019 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 73-66 Langara Falcons
2018 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Won – 77-67 VIU Mariners
2018 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 71-63 Camosun Chargers
2017 – CCAA Bronze Medal Semi-Final – Loss – 64-62 NAIT Ooks
2017 – CCAA Bronze Medal Quarterfinal – Won – 78-60 MSVU Mystics
#4 Langara Falcons
They limp into the PACWEST championship tournament losing five of their last six. They will face the Camosun Chargers in the quarterfinal on Thursday and have had success in the seasonal series winning two of the three meetings. Last season as the fifth seed, they upset the #5 seeded Douglas Royals. If the Falcons win they would face the VIU Marines in a semi-final.
PACWEST Record – 7-11
Home 3-7, Road 4-4
Points Per Game – 64.7
Field Goal % - 33.4%
Players to Watch:
#11 Emma Jones: She’s been the leader both offensively and defensively for the Falcons all season. She’s averaged 15 points a game along with 8.6 rebounds. She’s also very quick defensively with 44 steals on the season.
#12 Meagan Briggs: She’s in the PACWEST Top 10 for scoring, rebounding, field goals percentage and blocks. She has given the opposing defences issues with her play down low with the PACWEST’s third most of blocks. She’s dropping in 14.3 points a game.
#10 Steph Von Riedemann: She’s started all but one game this season and finishes with 9.2 points a game. Upfront she has been a factor with 7.1 boards a game and also has 13 blocks.
Longest Conference winning streak: They won 3 straight from January 18-25 which included a pair of road wins.
Last FIVE Playoff Games
2019 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Loss – 66-57 Camosun Chargers
2019 – PACWEST Semi-Final - Loss – 78-32 VIU Mariners
2019 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 73-66 Douglas Royals
2018 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 73-64 VIU Mariners
2017 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 68-38 Quest Kermodes
#5 Camosun Chargers
With the PACWEST championship tournament set to tip off on Thursday the Chargers are hoping they can right the ship. They are 1-6 in the month of February and will face the #5 Langara Falcons in a quarterfinal on Thursday. In three meetings this regular season the Chargers beat the Falcons just once as both teams finished with an identical 7-11 record.
PACWEST Record – 7-11
Home 4-4, Road 3-7
Points Per Game – 69.3
Field Goal % - 32.7%
Players to Watch:
#9 Tessa Lannon-Paakspuu: In her fifth and final year she continues to lead this team on and off the floor. She played in 15 of the Chargers 18 games, missing action due to an injury. Despite being banged up she led her club in scoring with 14.5 a game along with 6.1 rebounds each contest.
#3 Chloe Scaber: With Lannon-Paakspuu hurt this year Scaber needed to step and she did. She collected 12.4 points a game scoring the most points on the team with 224.
#22 Jasmine de Vries: She is one of only two players on the Chargers roster to play in and start every game this season. She scored 11.1 points a game and gives them some presence in the paint, but don’t leave her a good look from the outside as she dropped a team high 26-three pointers.
Longest Conference winning streak: They had a pair of three game streaks from November 2-9 and January 10-17.
Last FIVE Playoff Games
2019 – PACWEST Bronze Medal Game – Win – 66-57 Langara Falcons
2019 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Loss – 84-64 Capilano Blues
2019 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Win – 75-50 Okanagan Coyotes
2018 – PACWEST Gold Medal Game – Loss – 75-70 Capilano Blues
2018 – PACWEST Semi-Final – Won – 71-63 Douglas Royals
#6 Okanagan Coyotes
In just two seasons of existence the Coyotes make their second appearance in the PACWEST championship tournament. In the month of February they have won three of four games and will try and ride that momentum into Thursday’s quarterfinal with the #3 Douglas Royals at 12:30pm. Last season the Coyotes were one and done falling to the Camosun Chargers in their playoff debut.
PACWEST Record – 6-12
Home 3-6, Road 3-6
Points Per Game – 62.5
Field Goal % - 32.5%
Players to Watch:
#10 Jordan Andres: She was the only Coyote to average double-digit points in the regular season as she dropped 12.7. She also grabbed 5.2 rebounds and led the team with 39 steals.
#12 Jordan Kemper: the other Jordan on the team shot a team high 36.3% from the field and scored 8.9 points a game. She played in all 18 games, starting 11 of them and gives the Coyotes a presence down low as she grabbed 5.7 rebounds each game off the glass.
#3 Sapna Deo: She’s been banged up this season but still played in all 18 games averaging 9.8 points a game in 25.7 minutes of play. She had a team high 44 assists during the season.
Longest Conference winning streak: They won two straight on two different occasions; opening the season with two in a row on November 1-2, then closed the season with two consecutive wins on February 21-22.
Last Playoff Game
2019 – PACWEST Quarterfinal – Loss – 75-50 Camosun Chargers