The PACWEST basketball season tips off on Friday and live action will hit the court for the first time since March of 2020.
VIU Mariners (17-1 in 2019-2020)
They won PACWEST gold in March of 2020 and were on track to host the CCAA national championship before the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the tournament.
This season they are getting set to open up with a pair of games November 5 and 6 at Camosun against their Island rivals the Chargers.
“I am beyond grateful to be back,” says head coach Tony Bryce now in his fifth season with the Mariners. “I think the pandemic has allowed all of us to reflect and have much more appreciation for the game, each other and life as a whole. We are blessed to be able to compete at the post-secondary level and must cherish it to the fullest each and every day. I’m excited to be back in the gym and look forward to connecting once again with coaches and athletes across the PACWEST.”
Key Returners:
Amber Lease - averaged a team high 11.6 points a game and shot 38% from the field and led her team with 79 assists and 36 steals.
Kiara Johnston – she started 12 of 18 games in 2019-2020 and averaged 5.4 points a game along with 7.8 rebounds. She shot 42% from the field.
Kayla Gregory – in the last PACWEST season she played in 13 games, averaged 6.8 points and five rebounds a game. Defensively she collected 12 steals.
Impact Players:
CJ Buckley – she came off the bench in all 17 games she played and chipped in with 6.7 points a game and two rebounds, making 23 steals.
Shayce Johnston – she was dominant in the 12 games she played averaging 8.4 rebounds and over 10 points a game and was named a PACWEST All-Star.
Amber Lease – named a CCAA All-Canadian following the 2019-2020 season. She drives the Mariners offensive bus each game as the point guard.
The defending champs will host their home opener on November 12th when they welcome the Langara Falcons.
Capilano Blues (15-3 in 2019-2020)
They won PACWEST silver last season and had qualified for the CCAA national championship as the PACWEST representative, behind the host Mariners. They averaged 68 points during the 2019-2020 campaign and allowed 56.
They will open the new season on Friday when they visit the Langara Falcons.
Key Returners:
Mackenzie Smith – she is a strong post player and averaged over 10 points and seven rebounds during the 2019-2020 season. She was named a Second Team All-Star.
Devon Wood – she played in every game for the Blues during the last PACWEST season and was a gritty forward averaging seven points a game and never seemed to shy away from the rough stuff.
Kate Mallette – she was the Blues leading scorer last season averaging over 14 points a game and seven rebounds, shooting 45% from the field.
Impact Players:
Cassandra Brinn – a transfer from the Douglas Royals that will add strength to the Blues backcourt. She averaged just under 11 points a game for the Royals making 29 steals and spread the ball around recording 46 assists.
Emma Jones – she was the Langara Falcons leading scorer in 2019-2020 averaging 15.9 points a game, shooting 44% from the field and pulled down 8.6 rounds a game. She was named a First Team All-Star.
Meagan Briggs – she is also a transfer from the Falcons who averaged 14.3 points and 8.2 rebounds a game and was named an All-Star.
The Blues home opener is set for November 5th against the CBC Bearcats.
Douglas Royals (11-7 in 2019-2020)
They won PACWEST bronze in 2019-2020 and will look completely different this season with just one returning player. Head coach Steve Beauchamp is back again for his sixth season and will add tremendous experience to his young team. They open the season on the road at Langara on November 5th.
Key Returners:
Karalee Antonie – last played for the Royals during the 2018-2019 season.
Laini Glover – was recruited in anticipation for the 2020-2021 season and has returned this year.
Impact Players:
Jenessa Knapp – is entering her first PACWEST season out of Brookswood Secondary in Langley. She will play in the Royals backcourt at 5’9.
Anja Tjernagel – begins her first PACWEST season after graduating from New Westminster Secondary and is a 5’8 guard.
Head coach Steve Beauchamp is excited for the upcoming season; “For our team specifically, we have been building towards opening day for a few weeks. There have been a few different milestones along the journey, for example in early September our entire team attended the women’s soccer home opener and it helped reinforce to everyone that league activities were actually happening. Another milestone was our first scrimmage against TRU in late September, sure there were no fans but at least we actually played against another team. Friday’s tipoff is a testament to the perseverance of everyone involved and I’m sure there is going to be more curveballs ahead but at least the noise of the basketball bouncing on the court will involve two PACWEST teams.”
Langara Falcons (7-11 in 2019-2020)
Like the Royals the Falcons will be a young team again this season and hit the court this Friday for the PACWEST season opener when they host the Capilano Blues.
Head coach Virginia Watson returns to the bench for her third season and welcomes 10 first year players.
Key Returners:
Janna Jamorabon – she started 15 of the 18 Falcons games during the 2019-2020 season as the point guard. She collected 28 assists and 26 steals while dropping in 3.7 points a game.
Janel Tantengco – the Killarney Secondary guard will wear the orange and black of the Falcons and play in the backcourt at 5’6.
Jayna Wilson – during the last PACWEST season she gathered six points a game playing in 15 contests.
Impact Players
Rachel Labrador – she opens her first PACWEST season in the Falcons backcourt as a 5’9 graduate of John Oliver Secondary.
Ali Chang – she enters her first PACWEST campaign as a player that can play either up front or in the backcourt after graduating from Magee Secondary.
Julia Sprott – the versatile player enters her third year of eligibility at 5’9 out of Chilliwack.
The Falcons open the season with a three-game home stand before making a trip to the Island on November 12th.
Camosun Chargers (7-11 in 2019-2020)
This season the Chargers have a fairly young roster as they open play on November 5th at home against the defending champion VIU Mariners.
Head coach Justin Thiessen returns and says, “Although we are a young team, as soon as the players gain more confidence and realize how good they are, the Chargers women’s basketball team is looking good for many years.”
Key Returners:
Maddie Manns – she averaged over six points last season playing in all 18 games. She also pulled down six rebounds a game and shot 32% from the field.
Sadie McMillan-Stowards – she was the Chargers Rookie of the Year and returns to play down low for this offence. In 2019-20 she averaged more rebounds than points but did shoot 46% from the field.
Tamiya Ness – she will get an opportunity to show her skills with more playing time after coming off the bench for all but one game in the previous season.
Impact Players:
Chelsea Espenberg – is a transfer from the University of Winnipeg and will add some valuable leadership. The Kelowna Senior Secondary grad will look to fill the very big shoes of Tessa Lannon-Paakspuu who has graduated.
Morgan Boot – joins the Chargers for her first PACWEST season. She has earned a RBC Own the Podium Scholarship and spent a year training in rowing at the University of Victoria. She’s an incredible athlete with a giant wingspan.
Reese Manns – enters her first PACWEST season and joins sister Maddie on the Chargers roster. She is a pure point guard and graduate of Claremont Secondary.
“The PACWEST league is strong for women’s basketball this season,” adds Thiessen. “It’s entertaining, fast-paced, in-your-face type of basketball.”
Okanagan Coyotes (6-12 in 2019-2020)
Entering their third PACWEST season they made some tremendous strides in their second campaign and have been working and recruiting hard in anticipation for this year.
They qualified for the PACWEST playoffs in 2019-20 and put up a tough fight, but were overmatched by the Douglas Royals. This season however the Coyotes are poised to take a major step.
Andrew Gini returns as the head coach and says, “We are excited to finally get back to competing in our league. We were lucky to have some games last year but it’s definitely a different feeling actually competing for something in a league.”
Key Returners:
Jordan Kemper – she will be going into her second year of eligibility at OC. She had a very successful rookie year last official season making the PACWEST All-Rookie Team and has the ability to defend 1 through 5, shoot the 3 and score in the paint.
Elizabeth Henne – she will be going into her fourth year and third year of eligibility. She is a strong presence inside who has been with the Coyotes since the start of the program.
Soleil Wilding - she will also be going into her third year of eligibility and is a very athletic guard with the ability to shoot the three and defend in the full court. Soleil brings a high level of intensity on both ends of the floor.
Impact Players:
Ali Martineau and Natasha Alfonso, from Washington and Paraguay makeup a point guard backcourt duo. Both bring a high level experience, leadership and IQ. Ali played two years in Washington before coming to OC last year while Natasha played pro basketball in Paraguay before coming to Kelowna in 2019.
Julia Kreitz – she’s from Prince George and will be going into her rookie year even though it’s technically her second year at Okanagan College. She is an extremely athletic guard with a tremendous work ethic who has the ability to score and guard multiple positions and is a key component to their press.
The Coyotes open the season with a bye before traveling to the Island on November 12 and 13th to face the Camosun Chargers and VIU Mariners.
CBC Bearcats (0-18 in 2019-2020)
Head coach Jessica Funk returns for her third season with the Bearcats and is poised to make some major strides.
“I’m super excited for athletes to be back on court,” says Funk. “The last few years have been hard on everyone, and this is no small thing to be playing games again.”
Returning Players:
Cailey Ayer – she called the offence for the Bearcats as the point guard and led the club with 32 assists during the 2019-2020 season.
Karsen Lazeo – she played in 17 games in the previous season and will be asked to provide a bit more offensive punch this year.
Sam Leyenhost – a very versatile player who dropped in over six points a game while leading her club with seven rebounds a contest.
Impact Players:
Ryann Lee – she joins the Bearcats for her first PACWEST season as a shooting guard out of Calgary and the Edge School for Athletics.
Priya Alamwala – she’s a power forward from Abbotsford that the Bearcats have high hopes for as she enters her first PACWEST season.
The Bearcats open the season on November 5th on the road when they face the Capilano Blues.