Highlights:

• UBC Thunderbird Keylyn Filewich (BB) and Lethbridge Pronghorn Zac Overwater (BB) are the Canada West first stars for the period ending January 14
• Filewich posted a pair of double-doubles in UBC’s sweep of Lethbridge in women’s basketball, while Overwater helped Lethbridge to a split with the T-Birds thanks to the first 49-point game in Canada West men’s basketball since 2001
• Calgary’s Laura McManes (VB) and Fraser Valley’s Taylor Claggett (BB) are the other women’s stars, while Trinity Western’s Adam Schriemer (VB) and Saskatchewan’s Jesse Forsberg (HKY) are the other men’s stars

EDMONTON – Southern Alberta was the site of some clutch Canada West performances this past weekend.

UBC Thunderbird Keylyn Filewich and Lethbridge Pronghorn Zac Overwater are the Canada West first stars of the week, after the pair posted big numbers for their respective programs in Lethbridge Friday and Saturday nights.

Filewich combined for 48 points and 22 rebounds in UBC’s sweep of the Pronghorns in women’s basketball, while Overwater made sure the ‘Horns got at least one win on home court, as the fourth-year forward scored 49 points in Lethbridge’s thrilling 106-101 overtime win Saturday night in men’s action.

Overwater’s 49 points is tied for the sixth most in a single Canada West game and broke the Lethbridge program record of 43, which was previously shared by Perry Mirkovich (1979), Al Chapple (1982), and Danny Balderson (1995). 

You can watch both Filewich and Overwater the rest of the season by tuning into every CW basketball game on Canada West TV. 

Also earning stars this week were: Calgary’s Laura McManes (VB) and Fraser Valley’s Taylor Claggett (BB) on the women’s side, while Trinity Western’s Adam Schriemer (VB) and Saskatchewan’s Jesse Forsberg (HKY) on the men’s side.

Women’s first star – Keylyn Filewich

UBC Thunderbirds basketball

Forward

2nd-year

Winnipeg, Man.

Science

Game log: Friday, Jan. 12 – 27 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals in 65-63 W @ Lethbridge / Saturday, Jan. 13 – 21 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 76-65 W @ Lethbridge. 

The second-year forward set a new Canada West career-high with 27 points along with a season-high 12 rebounds in UBC’s come-from-behind 65-63 win over the Pronghorns in Lethbridge on Friday. 

The Winnipeg native followed up with her sixth double-double of the season in Saturday’s win with 21 points, 10 rebounds and a remarkable 76.9 per cent shooting from the field. 

Filewich’s shooting percentage on the season is now up to 55.4 per cent, second best in the Canada West while averaging 16.4 points per game.

The Thunderbirds snapped a five-game losing skid with the weekend sweep in Lethbridge and return to Vancouver this Friday and Saturday to host the MacEwan Griffins for their first double-header of 2018.

Men’s first star – Zac Overwater

Lethbridge Pronghorns basketball

Forward

4th-year

Didsbury, Alta.

New Media  

Game log: Friday, Jan. 12 – 15 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and a block in 84-71 L vs. UBC / Saturday, Jan. 13 – 49 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals in 106-101 OTW vs. UBC.

Fourth-year forward combined for 64 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks to help the Lethbridge Pronghorns to a weekend split with the U SPORTS No. 4-ranked UBC Thunderbirds. 

Friday night, the Didsbury, Alta. native picked up 15 points, five rebounds, an assist, steal and block in Lethbridge’s 84-71 loss to the Thunderbirds.

The next night, Overwater truly had a special performance, setting a new school record for points in a game and leading the Pronghorns to a 106-101 overtime win over the fourth ranked T-Birds. His 49 points broke the program’s mark of 43 points that was shared by Perry Mirkovich, Al Chapple and Danny Balderson. His point total was tied for the sixth highest in Canada West single-game history, and the first 40-plus point performance in the conference since Showron Glover posted 50 for Saskatchewan in January of 2009.

Overwater completed the double-double, grabbing 12 rebounds to go along with four assists, three steals, and a block in the win.

On the season, Overwater sits second on the Pronghorns in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game to go along with 7.3 rebounds per game.

The Pronghorns will now enjoy their bye week before returning to action Thursday, Jan. 25 to host provincial rival Calgary.

Women’s second star – Laura McManes

Calgary Dinos volleyball

Outside hitter

5th-year

Winnipeg, Man.

Kinesiology 

Game log: Friday, Jan. 12 – six kills, nine service aces, nine digs, and two blocks in 3-0 W vs. Brandon / Saturday, Jan. 13 – 13 kills, four service aces, eight digs, and a block in 3-1 W vs. Brandon.

Fifth-year Dino Laura McManes had one of the best weekends of her career as Calgary swept the Brandon University Bobcats.

On Friday night, McManes recorded nine service aces – third most in a single match in Canada West history – in a quick three sets win. She also compiled six kills, nine digs and two blocks in the Dinos’ 3-0 win.

The Winnipeg product had another impressive performance the following evening as the Dinos completed the weekend sweep with a 3-1 decision over the Bobcats. McManes had four service aces in the match to go along with 13 kills, eight digs, and one block.

McManes now sits third in Canada West with 0.67 service aces per set. She leads the Dinos with 35 service aces and 126 kills. 

Now on an eight-game win streak, the Dinos begin a four-game road swing with a pair of games in Edmonton against the Alberta Pandas this weekend.

Men’s second star – Adam Schriemer

Trinity Western Spartans volleyball

Setter

5th-year

Winnipeg, Man.

General Studies 

Game log: Friday, Jan. 12 – 45 assists, three blocks, and six digs in 3-1 W @ Manitoba / Saturday, Jan. 13 – 56 assists, four blocks, and seven digs in 3-1 W @ Manitoba.

Fifth-year setter Adam Schriemer had one of the best weekends of his entire career, as he averaged 12.63 assists per set, including a career-high 56 assists in Saturday’s victory over Manitoba. His Saturday night performance capped a weekend in which TWU earned back-to-back four-set road wins over the Bisons.

Playing in his hometown, Schriemer’s 56-assist night marked the highest four-set total of any Canada West setter this season and the second highest four-set mark in TWU history. His impressive weekend helped the No. 1-ranked Spartans extend their winning streak to 11 matches while improving their record to 15-1.

Along with his setting numbers, Schriemer also averaged 1.63 digs per set and 0.88 blocks per set. Schriemer continues to lead Canada West with 10.85 assists per set and has guided TWU to a conference-best .298 hitting percentage.

TWU is back on the court this weekend, when the Spartans host Regina Jan. 19-20 at the Langley Events Centre.

Women’s third star – Taylor Claggett

Fraser Valley Cascades basketball

Forward

3rd-year

Mission, B.C.

Psychology

Game log: Friday, Jan. 12 – 17 points, and 16 rebounds in 59-53 W @ Thompson Rivers / Saturday, Jan. 13 – 17 points (8-of-8 from the field), and nine rebounds in 76-67 W @ Thompson Rivers. 

Taylor Claggett had an outstanding weekend to spark the University of the Fraser Valley women’s basketball team to a pair of crucial road wins over the Thompson Rivers WolfPack.

The third-year forward from Mission, B.C. had a huge double-double on Friday (17 points, 16 rebounds) to lead the Cascades to a 59-53 victory. In Saturday’s rematch, she finished one rebound shy of another double-double, racking up 17 points and nine boards in an ultra-efficient shooting performance (8-of-8 from the field) as UFV prevailed 76-67. 

The victories breathed new life into the Cascades’ playoff hopes, boosting their record to 6-10 with four regular-season games left on their schedule. Claggett currently ranks seventh in the conference in rebounding (9.4 per game) and 22nd in scoring (13.2 ppg).

The Cascades are on a bye this coming weekend, before returning to action with road games Jan. 26-27 at the UNBC Timberwolves.

Men’s third star – Jesse Forsberg

Saskatchewan Huskies hockey

Defencemen

4th-year  

Waldheim, Sask.

Agriculture & Bioresources 

Game log: Friday, Jan. 12 – three assists in 6-2 W vs. Manitoba / Saturday, Jan. 13 – goal and an assist in 4-1 W vs. Manitoba.

University of Saskatchewan defenceman Jesse Forsberg helped the Huskies to a weekend sweep in a battle of U SPORTS Top 10 teams with the Manitoba Bisons. 

In Friday’s 6-2 win, the fourth-year Agriculture & Bioresources student assisted on three of the Huskies’ six goals in the game. A night later in a 4-1 win, Forsberg scored Saskatchewan’s third goal at 18:21 in the third period on the power play. The 2016-17 Canada West Defenceman of the Year also assisted on the second goal of the game for the Huskies. 

Forsberg and the No. 3-ranked Huskies (16-3-1) host the Calgary Dinos this weekend.