Mariners Battle Ooks For Gold

VIU Mariners vs. NAIT Ooks – Sunday March 27, 7:30pm | WATCH HERE

The final PACWEST team to see action at the 2022 CCAA national championship are the VIU Mariners women’s basketball team as they host the NAIT Ooks for the gold.

It’s the first appearance in the national title game for the Mariners since 1998 when they were known as Malaspina. They won that season with a 66-41 win over the Mount Royal Cougars when the tournament was hosted at Seneca College in Toronto. The Ooks on the other hand have never made it his far at the national championship tournament. They won a bronze in 2016.

The Mariners are here after a pair of thrilling wins on Friday and Saturday. In Friday’s quarterfinal they took down the ACAC champion and previously undefeated Lakeland Rustlers 76-71 thanks in large part to their bench play. Chloe Scaber led the way with 17 points and Player of the Game Harriette Mackenize scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Then yesterday they put together a strong second half to come back and beat the RSEQ wildcard Dawson Blues 76-72 with Mackenzie again coming off the bench to score a game high 23 points. Kayla Gregory was named the Player of the Game who also came off the bench to drop in 13 points.

The Ooks are a wildcard team from the ACAC that have pieced together a pair of upset wins. In Friday’s quarterfinal they beat the RSEQ champion Ch. Saint-Lambert Cavaliers 67-55 using an outstanding defence. They shot just 28.6% from the field in the win with Hallie Watt scoring a game high 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. They held the Cavaliers to just 23% shooting and 13% from the three-point line. Then yesterday they took down the ACAA champion MSVU Mystics 84-72 with a strong second half led by Aliyah Johnson’s 28 points.

The gym at VIU will no doubt be a madhouse. The last time a host team won gold was in 2009 when Sainte-Foy hosted and beat Sheridan.