Brent Mutis, CapU sport info & compliance officer
Blues women's and men's basketball teams went into the exam break on winning streaks of four games and three games respectively and after a 42-day layoff from PACWEST play, they return to their home hardwood this week with a Friday-Saturday set against Douglas College.
MEN'S WEEKEND PREVIEW
Capilano sits at 4-2 coming into 2023 but unfortunately will be without the services of 6-foot-7 forward Sam Bailey. Ongoing knee problems have forced the popular big man to conclude his collegiate career. CapU has new faces in the lineup with transfers Brett Carey and David Featherston Jr. coming onboard along with first-year players Aaron Ungprasert and Zach Klim.
Douglas is 3-5 after splitting last weekend with Langara. Douglas has added some size with a couple of new players in Ethan Baron (6-foot-5) and Ian Murphy (6-foot-8).
TRENDING UP
The Blues roster is literally trending up in height as Carey (6-foot-6), Ungprasert (6-foot-7) and Klim (6-11) prepare for their debuts in Blues colours. Ahmad Athman, a transfer from University of Fraser Valley, has been a handful for the opposition defensively, swiping multiple steals each game so far. Josh Vandevelde, a true rookie out of Robert Bateman Secondary in Abbotsford, has made an immediate impact playing siginificant minutes in a reserve role.
Douglas' Luca Bonamici collected 23 points against Langara and drilled three threes in the 96-94 win Jan. 7. His output was more than he had produced in the six games prior to the break.
QUESTION MARKS
The sheer number of new players joining the Blues roster will make for interesting viewing as they integrate into a new team. Featherston is of particular intrigue as he comes to CapU from Grays Harbor College, a junior college program in Washington State.
Douglas is one of the youngest teams in the PACWEST with 12 players listed as first or second year. Rookies Ekman Sohal and Jeevan Sidhu, both 6-foot-7 and both from Tamanawis Secondary in Surrey, have shown well in their first seasons and will need that to continue in the stretch to the postseason.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
The 6-foot-11 Klim is now the PACWEST's tallest player. How he is deployed in his first games with CapU remains to be seen but he could give the opposition trouble with his length. Sidhu and Sohal will likely receive the assignment to keep the Blues bigs in check.
Blues all-star Tyrone Asenoguan causes problems for most teams. Fans should keep an eye on which Royals guard gets the job this weekend.
WOMEN'S WEEKEND PREVIEW
With a 5-1 record, the CapU women are tied atop the PACWEST standings and the winning ways came despite losing Emma Jones (foot), Jenna Griffin (knee) and Camie Ward (ankle). Jones' injury has proven slow to heal and the fifth year import from Washington State has opted to conclude her college basketball career while Griffin's knee injury is significant enough it will sideline her for the rest of the season. Ward is expected back, possibly as soon as this weekend.
Douglas carries a 5-3 record into the weekend and has already begun 2023 with a pair of wins over Langara. Both wins were low-scoring games and the Royals may attempt to slow the pace against the Blues.
TRENDING UP
The Blues have had a different leading scorer each game during their four-game win streak. Second-year players Maddy Coffin and Sydney Ma each had the best games of their college careers in the Dec. 2 win over Okanagan College (OC) with 21 and 11 points respectively. Meagan Briggs and Mackenzie Smith were back-to-back PACWEST and CCAA Athletes of the Week for their work to conclude the 2022 part of the schedule
Douglas' Laini Glover posted 18 points and 14 rebounds to go along with three steals and two blocks in the pair of wins over Langara and is the current PACWEST Athlete of the Week. Coming off the bench both nights against Langara, Sharlene Siy scored 18 points while starter Emma Clunas grabbed 18 rebounds.
QUESTION MARKS
Jenessa Knapp, the 2022 PACWEST Rookie of the Year, did not play against Langara but remains on the Royals roster so she may make an appearance this weekend. The Royals have not shot the ball well from three lately, with just one make in 14 attempts last time out. Knapp could help in that department if she's back.
Ida Jonsson-Ojala had a fairly quiet start to the season for Capilano, coming off a couple of nagging injuries. She had a dominant outing in the final game of 2022 with 19 points and 11 boards against OC and will try to build on that to start the New Year.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Manitoba native Carmen Hiebert is the Royals tallest player at six feet tall. Along with 5-foot-11 Glover and 5-foot-10 Clunas will need to work together to keep 6-foot-3 Smith and 6-foot-2 Jonsson-Ojala from second-chance points in the paint.
Both women's games are set for 6 p.m. tip-offs Friday and Saturday while the men get going at 8 p.m. both days.
