Brent Mutis, CapU sport info & compliance officer
The Capilano Blues have punched their tickets to the CCAA national championship and will play for PACWEST gold after an 80-70 win Friday night over the tournament host Camosun Chargers.
With the PACWEST holding two berths to nationals again this season, the Blues just needed to get by the Chargers to make a return trip to nationals and for the second year in a row, they did just that.
Similar to last season, it was the No. 3-seed Blues upending the No. 2-seed Chargers in a Friday semifinal. Zach Klim was dominant in his best game with the Blues as he recorded a massive double-double with 19 points and 16 boards. The 6-foot-11 Blues rookie started hot with eight and six in the first quarter and was poised at the free throw line late, making 7-of-9 in the fourth quarter to help CapU close out the win.
The teams were tied after the first quarter but Capilano built an eight-point lead in the second, holding Camosun to just 13 points. The home side made up some ground in the third quarter with Cole Belton draining a pair of threes but the Blues stayed calm in front of the energetic Chargers crowd, weathering the surge and putting the finishing touches on in the fourth.
The Blues backcourt was uncharacteristically quiet in this one as Tyrone Asenoguan struggled to score the ball for really the only time all season. He finished with nine points but contributed elsewhere with six rebounds and three steals. CJ Campbell had another nice playoff game for Capilano with 17 points and four assists while Russell Curley contributed seven points and three boards off the bench. David Featherston was a rebound shy of a double-double, posting 14 points and nine boards.
Capilano awaits the winner of Friday night's other semifinal between the Langara College Falcons and the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners. Should the No. 1-seed Mariners advance, it will set up a rematch of last year's gold-medal game which ViU won by three points over CapU.
Saturday's gold-medal game is schedule for an 8 p.m. tipoff at Camosun College.
