Sports teams, especially in varsity and junior leagues where players age out, look for that right balance between older and younger players. If you have too many who are graduating at once, a major rebuild is required over the following seasons.
The current edition of the University of Victoria Vikes men’s basketball team seems to have struck the “right blend,” says head coach Craig Beaucamp, as the Vikes have reached the sa国际传媒 West semifinals for the first time since 2015 and face the Regina Cougars tonight in Edmonton at 7 p.m. PT.
Graduating fifth-year star guard Scott Kellum of UVic was runner-up to Utah-native Tyus Jefferson of the Alberta Golden Bears as sa国际传媒 West MVP while intriguing six-foot-eight Vikes guard Elias Ralph was named the conference’s top rookie to give UVic nice age-based roster bookends.
“Scott is all you want in a veteran team leader and will be in the running for first-team all-Canadian, and Elias was fearless and calm as a rookie with such a bright future ahead of him,” said Beaucamp. “We have such a blend of veterans and younger players with talent and that is reflected throughout our roster. We will be looking for our depth to carry us.”
UVic, ranked No. 3 in sa国际传媒, was 17-1 in the regular season and defeated the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 79-55 in the sa国际传媒 West playoff quarter-finals two weeks ago.
Regina, led by sa国际传媒 West first-team all-star and fifth-year guard Ben Hillis, was 12-4 in the regular season and beat the Trinity Western Spartans 105-81 in the quarter-finals to reach the semifinal stage for the first time since 2005-06.
“Cougars have a five-out motion offence that makes them harder to scout,” said Beaucamp.
“At this time of year, and this stage of the playoffs, you know every team is capable.”
The other sa国际传媒 West semifinal game features the nationally No. 2-ranked Alberta Golden Bears (16-0 in the regular season and 103-59 quarter-final winners over the Winnipeg Wesmen) against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies (11-5 in the regular season and 88-87 victors over the UBC Thunderbirds in a thrilling quarter-final match-up).
The semifinal winners will advance to the conference final and the losers to the third-place game, both on Saturday night.
