The stars aligned perfectly for the two fifth-years on UNBC’s women’s basketball team in the last 2019-20 season game.
Maria Mongomo and Emily Holmes posted team-high 29 and 13 points respectively en route to the Timberwolves’ 80-62 win over the MacEwan University Griffins Saturday night (Feb. 8).
The eighth consecutive victory means the women closed out the year with an 11-9 record to finish ninth in the Canada West standings, however, they won’t have a home playoff match next weekend.
Instead, UNBC will meet the eighth-seeded Pronghorns in Lethbridge for the wild-card game.
Before nearly 850 people at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre, the Lady T-Wolves kept the visitors in single-digits by the end of the first quarter in a score of 23-9.
The largest break-lead was 24 points as UNBC went into halftime with a comfortable 45-21 lead.
MacEwan surged to a 14-2 run at one point in the third, but the green and gold never waivered and took a 56-39 advantage into the final frame.
A close fourth quarter saw UNBC outscore MacEwan by a mere 24-23 difference, ultimately lifting them to the 80-62 final.
Holmes, a product of Duchess Park Secondary, went 100 per cent from the free-throw line (3/3) and made two three-pointers in her final home appearance while also crediting her team’s relentless efforts to win the last game.
“We came together and we definitely fought for it tonight, and it wasn’t easy,” said the graduating Timberwolf in a team release.
“Everyone showed up to play, and made it easy for each other, which made the game fun. When the game is fun, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
UNBC was 3-9 after the first 12 games of the regular season and needed to start winning if they wanted to get to the playoffs.
Their success was noted by Mongomo based on dedication to putting everything into basketball day-in and day-out.
“I really appreciate it, and I think that it’s a good example of how working hard always gets a good result,” said Mongomo in the same statement, who also added a block and three steals to her name Saturday night.
“I’ve been working hard and focusing on what I had to do, and this was the result.”
If the women want their season to continue, they’ll have to beat the ‘Horns in Lethbridge this Friday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. Pacific.
On the men’s side, UNBC was already eliminated from the postseason, but that didn’t stop them from ending their 2019-20 campaign on a positive note.
The T-Wolves prevailed 99-80 over the Griffins in the final home games for fifth-years Anthony Hokanson and Saje Gosal, who both put on a memorable show for the hometown crowd.
Hokanson led UNBC’s scoresheet with 23 points, while Gosal swished 17.
Prior to tip-off, Holmes, Mongomo, Hokanson and Gosal were honoured and recognized by coaches and teammates.
Thank you. #foreveratimberwolf pic.twitter.com/42MyYeQFmZ
— UNBC Athletics (@UNBCATHLETICS) February 9, 2020
