In their first-round playoff game, the UNBC Northern Timberwolves will face their No. 1 rival.
The local women's basketball team will clash with the Camosun College Chargers in a B.C. Colleges Athletic Association quarterfinal contest, March 3 in Abbotsford. The two clubs have built up quite a history in the past few years.
In March of 2008, at the Northern Sport Centre, the Timberwolves defeated the Chargers in the B.C. final and advanced to nationals. In 2009, the T-wolves and Chargers met in the final again and the Chargers rolled to victory and a spot in the national tournament. Last year, Camosun upset UNBC 57-56 in a provincial semifinal and ended up going back to nationals again.
The upcoming playoff contest won't be short on emotion, especially considering the teams split a doubleheader Feb. 4-5 in Victoria. UNBC won the first game 77-59 and Camosun took the second 70-59.
"We're going to try and forget the past and create the future we want," said UNBC forward Jennifer Clyne, who has experienced all the above-mentioned highs and lows against the Chargers. "We're going to work super hard the next two weeks. Ken Shields is coming up this weekend and we're going to do everything in our power to be ready and prepared for Camosun and not do a repeat of the past."
Shields, from Victoria, is a legendary Canadian coach and a consultant for the UNBC basketball program.
The Timberwolves finished the season with a 94-36 win against the Columbia Bible College Bearcats Saturday night at the NSC. With that lopsided victory, they ended their regular schedule with a fourth-place record of 13-5. The fifth-place Chargers went 11-7.
In the other playoff quarterfinal, the third-place UBC Okanagan Heat (13-5) will battle the sixth-place Langara College Falcons (9-9). The Capilano University Blues (16-2) and Vancouver Island University Mariners (15-3) earned byes to the semifinals.
In Saturday's game, the Bearcats -- who finished the season with a winless record -- were no match for their hosts. Four UNBC players scored in double digits, with Christine Kennedy's 15 points leading the way. Kennedy and teammate Sarah Moxley were playing at the NSC for the last time in their careers. See Tuesday's Citizen for that story.
Unlike the UNBC men, who can qualify for nationals just by reaching the provincial final, the UNBC women will have to win provincials to compete in the national gathering.
