The University of the Fraser Valley women's basketball team took care of business on their home court to open the Canada West playoffs, topping the Thompson Rivers WolfPack 76-54.
The fifth meeting of the campaign between the two teams (including preseason) was of the do-or-die, single-elimination variety. The No. 5-seeded Cascades were in control for much of the game, yet every time they appeared poised to pull away once and for all, the No. 12 WolfPack dug deep to claw their way back into it. Ultimately, an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter gave the hosts the breathing room they needed.
With the victory, the Cascades advance to a quarterfinal/semifinal quadrant hosted by the Calgary Dinos next week. They'll play the No. 4 seed Alberta Pandas (16-4) in the quarters, with the winner moving on to face the Calgary-UNBC winner in the semis.
"Thompson Rivers, full credit to them," Cascades head coach
Al Tuchscherer said afterward. "Whenever we looked like we were about to pull away, that just fueled them. They'd get a little tougher, a little grittier, and they made us earn the W here tonight.
"It wasn't the cleanest game from us, for sure. Our turnovers were up, and I didn't think our decision-making in the half-court was fantastic. It might have been nerves, but I don't know. You've got to learn to play through that. Whenever Thompson Rivers did make a push, we responded, so that was a really good sign for us."
The offence was slow to materialize for both teams in the first quarter, which ended with UFV up 18-11. The Cascades were able to find more traction in the second, pushing the lead to double digits, and rookie point guard
Nikki Cabuco's incredible three-pointer from the halfcourt logo as time expired gave her team a 40-24 lead heading into halftime. TRU senior Leilani Carney carried her team in the first half, pouring in 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field.
UFV scored five straight points to open the third quarter – highlighted by a pair of
Amanda Thompson buckets – to push the lead to 21, but the WolfPack hung tough behind eight points from Jordon Haggerty in the frame and got back to within 12.
In the fourth, the Cascades led 58-40 after a pair of
Victoria Jacobse free throws, only to watch TRU reel off 11 straight points – including a pair of triples from Emma Piggin and one from Brooklyn Golt – to cut the deficit to 58-51 with six-plus minutes left in regulation.
UFV found an answer, though, as treys from Cabuco and
Maddy Gobeil in quick succession got the lead back to 13, and they stepped on the gas from there. The WolfPack went nearly six minutes without a point, before Piggin hit a free throw and a late jumper in the final 30 seconds with the outcome already decided.
"First of all, we played a really great team with a great coaching staff," TRU head coach Goran Nogic analyzed afterward. "We didn't open the game well. I expected the pressure would be more on the side of Fraser Valley, but we started the game by missing five or six easy layups. You cannot do that . . . you're fighting the whole time and expending energy (to get back into it). The moments we managed to bring the game (close), we didn't have any more (energy)."
Rookie forward
Deanna Tuchscherer poured in a game-high 20 points for the Cascades, and four of her teammates – Thompson, Gobeil, Cabuco and
Taylor Claggett – finishing with 10 points apiece. UFV struggled with turnovers, surrendering 22 as the WolfPack pressed throughout the second half, but they shot 50 per cent from the field while limiting TRU to 33.8 per cent.
WolfPack seniors Carney and Piggin performed valiantly in what proved to be the final game of their university careers, tying for team-high honours with 17 points each. Haggerty scored 15 points and added five assists.
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