PREVIEW: Final games for Heat men unless they win both and get some help

Final two games for the Heat men unless they win both in Kamloops versus TRU and MacEwan losses both of their games. First game Friday at the TCC at 8 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m.

UBC OKANAGAN HEAT (12-13, 8-10 Canada West)
CIS National Ranking: //
CanWest Standings: 3rd – Explorer
Last week: 0-2 // (Fri L, 66-59), (Sat W, 71-62) vs GMU
Streak: Lost 2
2014-15 CW Regular Season Record: 3-17
2014-15 CW Playoff Record: /
2014-15 Overall Record: 4-26
Last CW Title/Total CW Titles: NA
Last CIS Title/Total CIS Titles: NA

• SCHEDULE
• ROSTER
• STATS
• STANDINGS

This week: The Heat will be traveling to Kamloops to play the final games of the regular season against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack. The First game will take place on Friday, February 19th with tip off scheduled for 8 p.m. The Second game will follow Saturday, February 20th with a start time of 7 p.m.

Current Form: The UBC Okanagan men’s basketball team ended their fifth straight weekend of home games with two losses to the MacEwan Griffins. With the two losses, the Heat have a record of (8-10) and are tied with the Mount Royal Cougars for the fourth place spot in the Explorer Division.

Playoff fate: Currently outside looking in UBC Okanagan is in fourth place one game behind MacEwan for the final spot in the post season. The magic number is one for MacEwan, any Heat loss or griffins win will end UBC Okanagan’s chance and send MacEwan into the post season. The Griffins are at home to (3-15) UNBC this weekend.

Key Players: Second year, Aldrich Berrios has remained the Heat’s top scorer so far this season as he is averaging 14.9 points per game. Berrios has hit 50 three’s on the season putting him 1st in that category and has an immaculate 94.9 percent average from the charity stripe, putting him first in that category. Following Berrios is senior, Mitch Goodwin who is averaging 11.8 points per game.  Goodwin is also shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 77.5 from the charity stripe making him an offensive threat for the Heat.

Key Stat: Rebounding is where the game will be decided for the Heat as the ‘Pack are currently in 6th in rebounding averaging 40 boards a game, a + 2.4 margin. UBCO is only pulling in 34.9 boards a game (16th) at a  +1.4 margin. If the Heat can be active on the boards and box out the large forwards on Thompson Rivers they should be able to limit TRU’s possessions and second chance shots.

Head to Head : (6-6) The teams are even over the five years both have been in Canada West. In January both teams went head to head in Kelowna and the Heat were able to claim a (62-57) win on Saturday night against the highly ranked ‘Pack.

Presidents Cup: With this weekend being the last mach-ups between TRU and UBC Okanagan in any varsity sports the President’s Cup will once again be awarded. The President’s Cup is a competition between the two BC Interior schools and a men’s and women’s award is handed out yearly. [More info]. UBC Okanagan surrendered both Cup’s to TRU. UBCO has a one game edge on both the men’s and women’s side going into this weekend. [Current Presidents Cup tally]

THOMPSON RIVERS WOLFPACK (20-6, 14-4  Canada West)
CIS National Ranking: HM
CanWest Standings: 1st – Explorer
Last week: 0-2 //(Fri, L 82-79); (Sat, L 67-62) vs UFV
Streak: Lost 2
2014-15 CW Regular Season Record: 7-13
2014-15 CW Playoff Record: //
2014-15 Overall Record: 7-13
Last CW Title/Total CW Titles: none
Last CIS Title/Total CIS Titles: none

• SCHEDULE
• ROSTER
• STATS
• STANDINGS

The ‘Pack – The WolfPack have had an impressive season and hold a record of (14-4) putting them in the first place spot in the Explorer Division. However, with the last weekend series against the Fraser Valley Cascades the ‘Pack are coming off of their first weekend of two consecutive losses this season and will be looking to take advantage of their home court as they host the Heat in the final games of regular season.

Trying to get the #1 seed: (Notes from Larry Read) The WolfPack, meanwhile, will secure first place in the Explorer Division and a first round bye along with it if they sweep the Heat this weekend. The week off is something that Coach Clark believes would greatly benefit his squad.

“It means you get to sleep in your own bed. It means that the fatigue of travel isn’t there. It means you get a bye week. There are a bunch of positives there. That’s what you play the regular season for—that’s your body of work. Our body of work has been pretty good and that puts you in a favourable position for playoffs,” he said.

“Last year we were in an unfavourable position where we got to host a play-in series but we had to play while everyone else was sitting there. Then we went on the road and played a best two out of three, which ended up going to a game three. That ended up being our fifth game in eight days and fatigue got us,” he added.

Key Players – The ‘Pack are being led by the big three Wolfram, Legorov, and Morris who are leading the team in scoring. 6’4 forward, Josh Wolfram is leading the ‘Pack  with an average of 18.6 points per game, putting him third in Canada West for scoring. Wolfram is also at the top of the rebounding standings as he has claimed 176 rebounds so far this season (50 offensive, 126 defensive) putting him 3rd in offensive rebounds and 2nd in defensive rebounds in the Canada West standings. Following Wolfram is Volodymyr Legorov who is averaging 18.4 points per game, putting him fifth in the Canada West for scoring. Luke Morris is also putting up big numbers for the ‘Pack averaging 12.3 points per game and has hit 32 three’s on the season and is hitting an immaculate 43.2 percent from beyond the arch putting him fifth in that category.

preseason preview courtesy of Canadawest.org