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UFV Cascades basketball teams drop three of four in Langley

Men swept, women split during two-game set against TWU Spartans
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UFV’s Natalie Rathler goes up for a shot during Canada West action on Friday (Dec. 2). (Jordie Arthur/UFV Athletics)

The University of the Fraser Valley men’s and women’s basketballs teams struggled against rival school Trinity Western University on the weekend, winning one out of four games in Langley.

The women struggled shooting, especially from beyond the arc, in Friday’s (Dec. 2) 68-55 loss to the Spartans.

The Cascades shot 23.5 per cent (4/17) from the three point line and were also out-rebounded 51-32. The Cascades were outscored 18-12 in the second quarter and 17-7 in the fourth.

“I think we focused too much on what they were going to bring to the table tonight, and we didn’t focus enough on ourselves and playing our brand of basketball,” noted UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer after the game. “You have to give them credit, they took advantage and played a great game, but we need to be better.”

Maddy Gobeil and Natalie Rathler both scored 16 points for the Cascades, while Julia Tuchscherer grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

Saturday (Dec. 3) was a much better effort for the Cascades, and they edged the Spartans 67-65.

Guard Nikki Cabuco made a pair of clutch free throws late in the game to secure the win.

UFV had four players in double digits in points, with Rathler, Gobeil and Julia Tuchscherer all scoring 15 and Deanna Tuchscherer added 10.

The Cascades shot 49.1 per cent from the field, which included a more effective 42.9 per cent from the three point line. The women are now done with regular season play for the calendar year and head into the holiday break at 8-2. They next host the Calgary Dinos on Jan. 13, 2023.

The men dropped both games in Langley, falling 99-84 on Friday and 102-88 on Saturday.

The Cascades had no answer for Spartans star Mason Bourcier, who collected 32 points on Saturday and 24 on Friday. He also grabbed six rebounds on Saturday and seven on Friday.

UFV’s Dario Lopez had an excellent offensive on Friday, scoring 28 points and collecting seven rebounds. Guard Courtney Anderson added 20 points and five boards. Anderson also had a strong game on Saturday, with 23 points, five steals and five rebounds.

The Spartans shot 50 per cent on Saturday, including 53 per cent from beyond the arc.

“They had a great weekend shooting the basketball,” UFV head coach Joe Enevoldson said. “I thought we did a decent job of guarding the three-point line tonight [Saturday], but they hit some wild shots so kudos to them.”

The men enter the holiday break at 3-5 and open the 2023 calendar by hosting Calgary on Jan. 13, 2023. For more on the teams, visit gocascades.ca.

RELATED: UFV Cascades earn weekend split against UBCO Heat



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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