Rich Abney, UNBC Athletics
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - The University of Northern British Columbia got off to a 16-2 start and held the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns off the rest of the way, earning a 96-90 victory, and punching their ticket to the Canada West playoffs.
Fifth-year guard Jovan Leamy put together an incredible statline, scoring 16 points, adding 10 rebounds, nine assists, five steals, and three blocks to lead the Timberwolves, holding off an equally impressive performance from Zac Overwater, who had 35 points and 13 rebounds.
UNBC came out firing early in the first, holding an 8-0 lead less than two minutes into the game, delighting the crowd at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre. That lead stretched to 16-2, with guards James Agyeman, Vova Pluzhnikov, and Tyrell Laing taking turns making big shots. Kyle Peterson would settle his Horns squad down with some hot shooting, drawing the game to 23-17 after one quarter.
"We were firing. Offensively, we shared the ball a lot and our guys really stepped up and made open shots. It was as simple as that" said UNBC's Laing.
Lethbridge continued to chip away at the UNBC lead, but their dynamic offense was kept in check by the TWolves Steals from Leamy and Austin Chandler led to fast-break baskets, and it was the home side holding a 50-34 advantage at half.
"In the first half, it was pure effort," said Lethbridge's Zac Overwater. "Those guys, they wanted it more. Props to them. We woke up a bit in the locker room, and brought it together. It's playoff time, and you can't slack off."
The Pronghorns came out hungry and aggressive in the third quarter, using the size and skill of their fifth-year post, Overwater, to dictate play. They also turned their signature transition game to force the pace of play, and won the quarter 28-20, cutting the UNBC lead to eight points.
"Our guards are so good at creating openings. They attack, and they make it easy for us bigs," said Overwater. "My teammates just give me the ball in the right spots and I just have to put it in. They deserve all the credit."
The fourth quarter was back-and-forth as Overwater continued to assert himself offensively, while the Timberwolves used a scoring by committee approach to try to preserve their lead. Peterson, along with Colton Gibb and Eric Pierce all took turns making big shots that cut the UNBC advantage to just three points. However, in crunch time, the TWolves got big shots from Agyeman, Laing, Pluzhnikov, and Vaggelis Loukas, and some crucial defensive rebounds from Austin Chandler. In the final minute, it was free-throws from Laing and Loukas that sealed the deal, and helped the TWolves to the 96-90 win.
Laing came off the bench to score 22 points for UNBC, his third outing in the past four games with 19 points or more. The Prince George native went four-for-nine from three-point territory, and made some big shots at crucial times.
"The coaching staff and my teammates have given me so much confidence," said Laing. "When I step out there, I feel like I have a neon green light. I know I can knock down shots at a high clip, and I am playing with confidence right now. Hoping to continue that."
Leamy's monster night was not the only impressive statline for the Timberwolves. Agyeman posted 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, while Chandler had eight points, nine boards, and five assists. Pluzhnikov finished with 16 points, four rebounds, and two helpers, while Loukas chipped in with 11 points.
Overwater had 35 points and 13 rebounds, which was complimented by 13-point outings from Pierce and Peterson, with the latter adding seven rebounds and seven assists. Gibb finished with 11 points.
"He's so tough. He is a big body and he is able to finish with either hand," said Laing. "He is a really intelligent player. We were throwing different looks at him and he is able to adjust on the fly. Overwater is really efficient."
With the victory, UNBC returns to the Canada West playoffs for a second consecutive year, improving their record to 9-10.
"This is really important for the program. I think this is big for us to get back to the playoffs again," said Laing. "We are really hoping to put ourselves in a position tomorrow, if we can take care of business, to potentially play another game in this gym."
The Pronghorns now sit 11-8, with the final game of the season likely critical when it comes to playoff seeding. The two teams will clash on Saturday, February 2nd, at 7 PM Pacific.
"We have to re-focus tonight, and move on. We need to have a great shoot tomorrow, and come ready to play," said Overwater. "We need this win just as badly as these guys do. It should be a battle, and we need to come out with a better effort."