A long-distance barrage from
Parm Bains and
Sukhjot Bains ignited an 89-76 victory for the University of the Fraser Valley men's basketball team over the UBC Okanagan Heat in their home opener on Friday evening.
The Heat appeared to be in control midway through the third quarter, having built a 50-40 lead. But the Cascades' Bains duo – no relation, though they're former classmates at Tamanawis Secondary in Surrey, B.C. – began raining fire from beyond the arc, sparking a huge UFV surge that saw them lead by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter en route to a comfortable double-digit win.
Parm went 7-for-12 from three-point range on his way to a game-high 31 points, and Sukhjot shot 5-for-7 from distance as part of a huge double-double (23 points, 15 rebounds) for the Cascades (1-2).
Spencer Thomas, with 16 points, paced the Heat (1-4), who renew hostilities with the Cascades on Saturday (7 p.m., EFAC).
"We got rolling, and we just kind of stayed in that rhythm for the remainder of the game," UFV head coach
Adam Friesen said, reflecting on an incendiary 11-minute stretch bridging the third and fourth quarters which saw Parm and Sukhjot combine for nine triples.
"UBC Okanagan played really hard. They made us earn it. We shouldn't be expecting to get many wins having to dig ourselves out of deficits this late in the second half."
The Cascades took a 40-35 lead into halftime after
Parm Bains hit a buzzer-beating triple, but it was one of just four long-distance connections by the hosts in the first half.
The Heat came out scorching to start the third, reeling off a 15-0 run capped by a Hafith Moallin trey to go up 50-40. But
Sukhjot Bains singlehandedly kept his team in it – he hit three-pointers on three consecutive possessions to cut the deficit to 50-49 in the blink of an eye.
Parm would finish off the Heat, pouring in 19 points in the fourth quarter – including five triples – as the Cascades cruised.
"I think we got a little complacent," UBCO head coach Clayton Pottinger said. "We allowed them to make some shots, and this is definitely not a team where you want to allow them to get hot.
"We did a good job, I thought, through almost three quarters getting out on three-point shots and not allowing them anything easy. Then as soon as we got a 10-point lead, we got complacent. The biggest part of the learning curve with a new group of guys together is trying to figure out how to be successful."
For the game, UFV shot a white-hot 58.3 per cent (14-of-24) from beyond the arc.
Kenan Hadzovic chipped in offensively with 11 points, and centre
Matt Cooley had a game-high five assists. Rookie guard
Vlad Mihaila – making his Canada West regular-season debut – scored six points.
Philip Okanlawon (12 points) and Sebago Jean-Charles (10) joined Thomas in double digits for the Heat.
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