Brent Mutis
CapU sports info
A stunning fourth-quarter rally by the Capilano Blues in the final game of the regular season allowed them to complete a Saturday-Sunday sweep on the road at Camosun College.
Trailing 57-40 heading the final frame, the Blues outscored the Chargers 28-8 over the final 10 minutes to storm back for a 68-65 win. Maddy Coffin was instrumental for Capilano as she scored 12 of her 19 points on the night and pulled down four of her 17 rebounds in the fourth to lead the charge. Her layup-and-one with 59 seconds to go tied the score at 65 and she'd go on to score the winning bucket on another layup seconds later.
A made free throw from Kirsten Abo, one of five for her from the charity stripe in the fourth, essentially sealed the deal for CapU. Camosun tried a three to tie it in the final seconds but it caromed away.
Capilano was sluggish in the first half, playing their fifth game in a row with just seven players, and scored just eight points in the second quarter. Abo kept the Blues afloat with 13 of her game-high 23 in the first half and also wound up with five steals.
The Blues couldn't move up or down from their spot in second place in the standings no matter the result on Sunday yet still dug in to rescue the victory. In addition to Coffin's dozen in the fourth, Camie Ward scored six of her eight for the game. Alexa Kusel was one of just two players available off the bench and contributed valuable minutes each quarter, ending up with three steals and two assists.
Saturday's game was also a 68-65 result with the Blues starters doing the bulk of the work, as four of the starting five scored in double digits, led by 24 from Abo. Capilano did just enough in the first half to earn the win as they took a five-point edge into the break and went almost point for point with the Chargers in the second half. Jenna Griffin scored 13 and did not commit a turnover in 33 minutes of work.
The Blues will enter the PACWEST provincials as the No. 2 seed and will have a bye to the semifinals. The provincial tournament is Feb. 29 to Mar. 2 at Okanagan College. The games will be played at Kelowna Christian School.
