The UNBC Timberwolves men’s basketball team did their best Motley Crue impression on Friday as they slid past the University of Fraser Valley Cascades 97-94 in overtime at the Northern Sport Centre.
The back-and-forth game pretty much resembled the band’s 1989 hit single Kickstart My Heart as both teams essentially went punch-counter punch until the very end.
But instead of Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Vince Neil bringing the noise, it was Vova Pluzhnikov who made it rain from all over the court, scoring a UNBC team-high 26 points including several key buckets during the extra-frame.
“It feels good to come back home and get the W but we have to work tomorrow because they are going to hit us once again and play their hardest basketball this season because they have nothing to lose right now – they probably lost a playoff spot so it is huge for us to come out tomorrow and show our best energy.”
Despite escaping with the win and improving their record to 9-10, the T-Wolves almost fell victim to a heroic performance by Cascades Forward Andrew Morris who posted a 35-point game and almost singlehandedly brought back UFV with several key shots in the final two quarters.
“They executed their game plan pretty well and you have to give them credit as they played pretty good basketball.”
The Timberwolves were either tied or leading the game from the second quarter on and also clutch performance from the dynamic duo of James Agyeman and Jovan Lemay who both posted 18 points each.
UNBC sits ninth in the Canada West men’s conference with their final game of the regular season set for tomorrow at 7PM against UFV.
The Ukraine Maker! @vpuzhnikov0000 scores 9 points in overtime, and the unbcbasketball team guys… https://t.co/ec9EaFYmHH
— UNBC Athletics (@UNBCATHLETICS) January 27, 2018
On the women’s side, the T-Wolves were unable to hit all the right notes eventually falling to the UFV Cascades 77-70.
UNBC had no answer for Cascades fifth-year player Shayna Litman who posted 25 points and 15 rebounds.
“She is a great player but we also know how to stop her, so I think if we help off of her a little more I think we should be fine,” says Abby Gibb, UNBC Guard.
“We need a little bit of a reality check because we had a good start to the second half of our season and then it has been a little up and down but I think we will be ready to go tomorrow.”
Vasiliki Louka scored 21 points in defeat for UNBC.
The Timberwolves drop to 8-11 on the campaign and are in 11th place in the Canada West standings.
Both teams play again tomorrow at 5PM.
WBB RECAP: Litman powers Cascades to win over Timberwolves https://t.co/23wvje9z7I #TheNewWest pic.twitter.com/isJtpaWvEh
— Canada West (@CanadaWest) January 27, 2018