The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades men’s and women’s basketball teams both earned a split in Lethbridge on the weekend.
The women entered Friday’s (Jan. 12) game taking on a Lethbridge Pronghorns team that had won eight straight and the Cascades shooting that night was as cold as the Alberta weather in a 73-67 loss.
UFV shot just 29.9 per cent from the field and were sunk by a third quarter that saw them get outscored 25-9.
Despite the loss, the Cascades had five players score in double-digits. Maddy Gobeil led the way with 16 points, while Julia Tuchscherer added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Deanna Tuchscherer (11), Nikki Cabuco (11) and Natatlie Rathler (10) also contributed offensively.
Lethbridge was led by Courtney McKee, who had 16 points and made seven of nine shots. The Pronghorns shot 48 per cent and also got 34 points from their bench in the win.
Saturday (Jan. 13) saw the Pronghorns go ice cold from the field and the Cascades find more success in a 64-48 win.
UFV shot 37.5 per cent from the field while holding Lethbridge to just 27.4 per cent. Gobeil again led the way with 17 points, nine rebounds, four steals and four assists. D. Tuchscherer added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Cascades opened up a 39-19 lead at halftime and never allowed Lethbridge back into the game. The UFV win ends a nine-game win streak for Lethbridge that began on Nov. 17.
Cascades head coach Al Tuchscherer was pleased with his team’s effort on Saturday.
“(Friday) I thought we were a little too perimeter oriented and we really made a conscious effort to get the ball inside and use our size advantage,” he said. “We don’t really have a size advantage against them with our guard play, but we do with our interior play and it paid off.”
The women’s record now sits at 10-2 on the season and they are in third place in Canada West.
MBB | Matthias Klim puts that one down with two hands in the opening quarter! pic.twitter.com/Ckwdy2wKzh
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) January 14, 2024
The men’s team was sparked by one of the best offensive performances in Cascades history on Friday, en route to a 102-88 win over Lethbridge.
Dario Lopez poured in 41 points and tied a Cascades CW record for points in a game set by Sam Freeman in 2013.
Lopez shot 14 for 22 from the field and added nine rebounds. Dylan Kinley recorded 23 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Clay Kurtz contributed with 18 points. The Cascades shot an impressive 51.5 per cent from the field and got 18 points off turnovers.
UFV ran away with the game with a 33-19 fourth quarter.
“Dario had a spectacular night,” said UFV head coach Joe Enevoldson of Friday’s game. “He was very efficient and took good shots. He was really in his wheelhouse.”
“We have been in a lot of close games with five minutes to go, and unfortunately this year we have been on the other side of them. Ultimately though, tonight was a together win. Guys stepped up and played for each other — hopefully we can build on that. We have to establish an identity on the offensive side, and we went a long way towards that tonight.”
MBB | Takeshi Croke gets it to go, and the Cascades lead late in the fourth! pic.twitter.com/kl4SPJxzEz
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) January 13, 2024
Saturday saw the Cascades hold a 33-32 lead at halftime, but fell 77-69 to the Pronghorns.
Kinley and Lopez had 28 and 26 points respectively, but the Cascades did have foul issues with 22 total.
“Credit to them, they hit two shots off of ball screens that were challenged, and they got some free throws down the stretch, and we missed some shots down the stretch. Last night we hit those shots and we got stops,” noted Cascades head coach Joe Enevoldson.
The men’s and women’s teams return to Abbotsford for games against Alberta on Friday (Jan. 19) and Saturday (Jan. 20). Saturday’s game will be Hall of Fame night, with athletes Lauren Alonzo and Aaron Pauls inducted.