by Paul Esau (Sports Editor) – Email
The Cascades Basketball team secured the seventh playoff spot in Canada West last weekend with a decisive sweep of the Brandon University Bobcats, (75-68 and 102-67). Coming into the doubleheader in a precarious three-way battle for the final two play-off spots, the Cascades needed a strong performance to keep their post-season aspirations alive. They got it, and finish the season with a 10-14 record and a chance to play the Trinity Spartans in the first round.
In all honesty, the Bobcats weren’t expected to put up much of a fight. The team walked into the Envision Centre on Friday with a dismal 4-18 record, good enough for second-last in the league. Brandon also has the strange boast, unique in the league, of not having won a game since November 27 (1095*). According to the stat sheet, the Cascades should have been able to sub Sasq ‘ets in for the fourth quarter and still win by a comfortable margin, except that someone apparently forgot to tell Brandon they were going to lose.
The Cascades grabbed a 17-11 lead in a frantic first quarter that often threatened to degenerate into rugby. Brandon’s first-year guard Jimi Falana couldn’t seem to keep his hands off the home team, and the refs couldn’t seem to find their whistles. More worryingly, the Cascades looked critically vulnerable inside, where they were lit up for a number of easy baskets by the ever limber Isaiah James. Only the emigration of UFV post James Elliot from down low to downtown saved the Cascades’ lead with a couple of clutch three pointers.
UFV exploded in the second quarter with 25 points to Brandon’s 14 to give them a 42-25 advantage. Yet this 10-minute quarter was the only portion of the game they would truly dominate. The Bobcats started the third with an astounding 16-4 run, the result of a man-to-man press that was much more effective than the stats would suggest, forcing UFV into trap after trap and turnover after turnover. It was an unnerving disection of the Cascades back-court that became especially depressing when the Bobcat’s Isaiah James began to demonstrate why he has more blocked shots on the year than the entire Cascades team combined (40 to a measly 23).
Yet through it all, UFV never lost their composure, or the lead. Bolstered by solid contributions from every position, the Cascades fought their way back to their second-quarter form in the final four minutes. Joel Friesen had 18 points, James Elliot had 17 (including three three-pointers), and Sam Freeman contributed 14. Brandon was led by Isaiah James with 15 points and four blocks.
The playoff series between UFV and Trinity is a best-of-three with all games taking place at Trinity. In prior meetings, the Cascades lost 73-92 and 89-114, but are looking to revenge themselves and buy a ticket to the second round.
*Ironically, Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade on the same day, possibly in retaliation.
