The Martlet

Rallying around Mitch Gudgeon and Tyler Hass playing their last  home  games for UVic, the Vikes destroyed Thompson Rivers and  the University of the Fraser Valley this past weekend. But blow out  wins for the Vikes were not enough to secure a home playoff series for the graduating seniors.

The two wins leave the Vikes tied with Trinity West University for second in the Pacific Division with 34 points. Since Trinity took the season series between the two teams, two games to one, they hold the tie-breaker and will get home court advantage when the teams battle it out next weekend.

On Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, the Vikes played two teams already out of playoff contention and came out with the expected results. The Vikes pounded the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades by a score of 84-65. UVic’s Mitch Gudgeon had a massive game with 21 points and 20 rebounds. Tyler Hass scored 15 while dishing out eight assists. The Cascades were led by Tristan Smith and Kyle Grewal with 16 and 15 points respectively.

Before Saturday night’s game, the Vikes honoured their graduating forwards Mitch Gudgeon and Tyler Hass. The crowd rose to their feet for a standing ovation during the ceremony, letting the seniors know how much their hard work over the years was appreciated. Both players scored over 1,000 points in their careers, and were key members of the Vikes during two Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship appearances as well as a Canada West title.  

In the last home game of their careers, Gudgeon and Hass had to deal with 7’2, 300-pound Greg Stewart and the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack. Stewart had seven inches and 75 pounds on Gudgeon, who had the unenviable task of guarding him for most of the night.

The Vikes came out flying with Ryan McKinnon, Jeff Spoor and Jeff Cullen all knocking down open three pointers. The Wolfpack defence was unable to slow down the Vikes, and their offence was having trouble getting set up in the face of the Vikes’ high-pressure defence. The Vikes led 24-10 going into second.

The second quarter was much of the same, with the Vikes able to get almost any shot they wanted. Gudgeon emphatically dunked right over top of the Wolfpack center, letting him know that size is not everything. With the score 49-17, the game was essentially over at halftime.

After the half, the Vikes at one point extended their lead to 40, but against the Vikes bench Thompson Rivers fought back to make the game 82-56 by the final buzzer. Every player scored for the Vikes, but Mitch Gudgeon again led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

The Vikes bench scored 39 points, led by Cyril Indome with 11. Thompson Rivers was led by Stewart, who had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Matt Pierce was the only other Wolfpack player to reach double figures with 11.

By holding the Wolfpack to 56 points, the Vikes are, for the fifth year running, the top defence in the Canada West division.

The Vikes will take on Trinity West University next weekend in Langley for the Pacific Division Semi-Finals in a best-of-three series.