Men’s Basketball: Dulay, Dhillon deadly from distance as Cascades sweep Griffins
Manny Dulay and Vijay Dhillon did their best impression of the Golden State Warriors’ Splash Brothers on Saturday evening, raining down three-pointers to power the University of the Fraser Valley men’s basketball team past the MacEwan Griffins 89-82.
Dulay and Dhillon, the Cascades’ fifth-year backcourt mates, were hotter than molten lava throughout the clash at the Envision Athletic Centre. Dulay went 7-for-9 from beyond the arc en route to a team-high 23 points, and Dhillon went 4-for-5 from distance and finished with 19 points.
The Griffins, particularly Keith Gerdes, were hot in their own right – Gerdes went 7-for-12 on triples on his way to a game-high 25 points, and MacEwan converted 41.7 per cent (11 for 28) of their attempts from downtown.
But the Griffins’ very respectable three-point efficiency paled in comparison to the Cascades’ otherworldly team shooting performance – they hit a combined 58.3 per cent (14-for-24) from the land beyond.
“It was a big game, and Manny and Vijay stepped up for us,” UFV head coach Adam Friesen said afterward. “It was our opportunity to get back to .500 and put a couple wins together at home, and their leadership showed up.”
UFV’s offensive pyrotechnics included three other players joining Dulay and Dhillon in double-figure scoring – Andrew Morris (13 points), Mark Johnson (10) and Nav Bains (10). The Cascades evened their Canada West record at 5-5, good for ninth place in the conference.
MacEwan (3-9, 15th in Canada West), likewise, had five double-figure scorers, with Tadius Galvez (17 points), Denzel James (12), Ryan Coleman (11) and Harrison Lane (11) joining Gerdes.
The Cascades were dialed in from the start – Dulay hit treys on three straight possessions early in the first quarter, paving the way for the hosts to build a double-digit lead that they maintained for most of the opening half. The UFV lead was 49-39 at the break.
The Griffins slowly chipped away at the deficit, and used a 10-2 run opening the fourth quarter to claim their first lead of the night – 71-70 with just over six minutes left in regulation.
But the Cascades mustered an impressive 11-0 run of their own to drain the suspense from the proceedings, highlighted by a Dhillon triple and a huge two-handed dunk by Nav Bains, plus the foul. When it was over, UFV led 86-75 with one minute left, and the outcome was effectively sealed.
As much as Dulay and Dhillon’s shooting stole the show, Friesen was pleased with his entire roster. Morris’s 13 points came in efficient fashion (5-for-10 from the field, 2-for-3 from beyond the arc), and he opportunities for his teammates with his physical slashing and post-up game. Rookies Riley Braich (five points) and Daniel Adediran (four rebounds, three blocks) showed they’re growing more comfortable at the Canada West level.
“All nine or 10 guys who played today each had multiple plays in the game that were necessary for us to win,” Friesen said. “We had different guys getting on the offensive boards, hitting big shots, and our young guys coming in and having their best weekend by far.”
The Cascades hit the road next weekend to face the Calgary Dinos, while the Griffins visit the Brandon Bobcats.
Women’s Basketball: Claggett, Williams lead Cascades past Griffins
The University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball team completed a weekend sweep of the MacEwan Griffins on Saturday evening, grinding out a 59-55 victory at the Envision Athletic Centre.
The Cascades were coming off a 73-70 triumph on Friday highlighted by a 31-point outburst from Kayli Sartori, but the reigning Canada West scoring champ mustered just eight points in the rematch on 1-of-9 shooting from the field.
With Sartori having a rare off night, Taylor Claggett and Syd Williams stepped into the starring roles. Sophomore forward Claggett had a huge double-double (16 points, 16 rebounds), and third-year guard Williams sparked the hosts with her hustle off the bench and chipped in 13 points.
It was hardly an offensive showcase for either team – the Cascades shot just 31.5 per cent from the field, while MacEwan was at 28.4. Paige Knull (14 points) and Kendall Lydon (12 points) were the Griffins’ top scorers.
UFV improved to 7-3, tied for fifth in Canada West, while the Griffins are tied for 11th at 4-8.
“Our D has been solid for most of the year, and we can rely on that a little bit,” UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer said afterward. “But on nights like tonight, it’s too fine . . . 59 points isn’t going to win a lot of games in Canada West, so I feel like we’re fortunate tonight to sneak out a win against a pretty good team.”
The Griffins raced out to an early 12-3 lead before the Cascades cut the deficit to 18-17 at the end of the first quarter. Both offences came up dry for most of the second stanza, but UFV found some traction just before halftime and took a 29-22 lead into the break. MacEwan mustered just four points in the quarter.
The Griffins reeled off a 12-0 run early in the third quarter to surge ahead 34-33, and the two teams swapped the lead with regularity from that point. The Cascades, though, had one last run in them – a 9-3 game-ending spurt, highlighted by a Williams triple.
“I was really thankful for the energy Syd brought to the game tonight,” Tuchscherer said. “We weren’t sure if she was going to be able to play today, and she didn’t start, but she came off the bench for us and she was huge. And Taylor had a really good weekend for us all-around. She was a force on the boards, and hit some key shots.
“We’re really inconsistent in our personnel right now, and it’s reflected in our offensive execution. We’ve got to get that straightened out. We’re entering a pretty tough stretch right now, so we’ve got to get back in the gym and work on some things.”
The Cascades hit the road next weekend to face the Calgary Dinos, while the Griffins visit the Brandon Bobcats.
Men’s Volleyball: Cascades blitz Royals in three sets to cap weekend sweep
The University of the Fraser Valley men’s volleyball team made a statement that they’ve got what it takes to have success on the road, completing a weekend sweep of the Douglas Royals in decisive three-set fashion on Saturday night in New Westminster.
Coming off a nail-biting five-set triumph on Friday, the Cascades were much more efficient in the rematch, winning 25-17, 25-14, 25-20.
UFV (10-3, second in PACWEST) not only swept the weekend doubleheader, they swept the season series against Douglas (5-8, sixth in PACWEST).
“We were just more consistent tonight – we eliminated the roller-coaster ride that yesterday was,” Cascades head coach Kyle Donen said. “We had a bit of a slower start, but we took off and I felt that we were in control for most of the match. We maintained that level of play through and through.”
Right side Joel Kleingeltink continued his outstanding senior season by leading the team with 11 kills and chipping in with three blocks, two aces and eight digs. Middle Dayton Pagliericci notched 10 kills and two blocks, and libero Isaiah Dahl had 10 digs, including several of the spectacular variety.
The CCAA No. 8-ranked Cascades came into the weekend with a decisive home/road split over the last two-plus seasons – they’d won 68.8 per cent of their home games (22-10), but just 28.6 per cent (8-20) away from the Envision Athletic Centre.
Donen noted that opening the road-centric second half (which features eight of 12 games on the road) in successful fashion meant a lot to his club.
“The goal was to get off on the right foot and prove we can be a road team as well,” he said. “We can go on the road next week with confidence, and we’re looking forward to another challenge.”
The Cascades volleyball teams are back in action next weekend with a home-and-home series against the Capilano Blues. The two teams clash in Abbotsford on Friday, and at Capilano’s North Vancouver campus on Saturday. The women play at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m. both nights.
Women’s Volleyball: Cascades earn upset win over No. 6-ranked Royals
The University of the Fraser Valley women’s volleyball team picked up a highly impressive result on the road, knocking off the Douglas Royals in four sets on Saturday in New Westminster.
The Royals, ranked No. 6 in the nation, had defeated the Cascades in all three prior meetings this season, including a five-set thriller on Friday. But UFV bounced back to win in relatively decisive fashion: 25-12, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19.
The Cascades improved to 5-9, tied for fifth in the PACWEST, while the Royals (10-4) fell one game back of Vancouver Island University in the race for first place.
“I think the girls took another close loss (on Friday) to heart, but they also knew they were close,” UFV bench boss Mike Gilray said. “We had opportunities to win last night, and they recognized what we lacking. They decided to sit down together as a group and figure out what it was going to take to be better.
“All in all, the girls made a commitment to be better, and they were each one or two per cent better in different parts of their game.”
Left side Rachel Funk had a very strong all-around performance for the Cascades – she hit 37 per cent en route to 16 kills, and posted a 2.33 pass rating with 13 digs. She also notched an ace, and did not make a service error all night. Cassidy Pearson excelled on the right side, registering nine kills, eight digs and four aces.
“It was definitely more consistent tonight,” Gilray summarized. “We had a bit of a lapse in the third, but it was a strong performance.”
The Cascades volleyball teams are back in action next weekend with a home-and-home series against the Capilano Blues. The two teams clash at the Envision Athletic Centre on Friday, and at Capilano’s North Vancouver campus on Saturday. The women play at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m. both nights.
