Vancouver, BC - The UBC Thunderbirds basketball teams are set to tip off the 2012-13 regular season this weekend at the Langley Events Centre with a pair of games against Trinity Western. The womens, who lost in the CIS final last year, are ranked number ten in the nation, while the men are ranked number two in the country behind Carleton.
Women's Basketball
#10 UBC at Trinity Western
Friday November 2, 2012 - 6:00 PM
Saturday November 3, 2012 - 5:00 PM
Langley Events Centre
No. 10 UBC Thunderbirds
Exhibition Record - 4-3
The UBC Thunderbirds will attempt to defend the Canada West championship in 2012-13, but are much younger than the lineup that captured the title last season.
Forwards Zara Huntley and Alex Vieweg have graduated. The front court will be anchored byLeigh Stansfield, who recorded 8.1 points a game last year. She is the only fifth-year player on the T-Birds roster. Victoria Spangehl, a fourth-year forward, should also provide valuable minutes up front, as will sophomores Adrienne Parkin and Stephanie Bell.
UBC does return guard Kris Young, a Second Team Canada West and CIS Tournament All-Star. She led the T-Birds in points and assists last season and was second in rebounds. Young also averaged 21 points in four Canada West playoff games.
A trio of guards, Alyssa Binns, Erika Vieweg and Zana Williams, are back after dealing with injuries and will be joined by talented second-year Cassandra Knievel.
Head coach Deb Huband brought in a talented recruiting class, including guards Cherub Lum, Jaime Hills and Maggie Sundberg, one of the best players in Connecticut high school basketball two years ago. Up front, Andrea Strujic and Susan Thompson have joined the UBC program.
Trinity Western Spartans
Exhibition Record - 1-3
With the Spartans entering their third season under coach Cheryl Jean-Paul, the goal is to get to the playoffs for the first time in her tenure. This year's team – one that is heavy on guards and light on size – has the pieces to do that.
The Spartans return three starters from last year in Holly Strom, Stephanie Carkner and Emily Knauff, as well as both Sarah Cleveland and Janelle Traber who, at times, saw starting minutes. The Spartans are looking to improve on last year's 8-10 record and if the likes of Laurissa Weigl, Chelsey Olsen and Chantelle Martin, the latter of which will join the Spartans on the court after redshirting last year, can step into more significant roles this season, Trinity Western will have a chance to make some noise.
There are still questions about how the Spartans will keep up in Canada West without much in the way of size; however, if the Spartans can use their speed and outside shooting effectively and if Strom can take her game to another level and be a consistent scoring threat, as she is more than capable of doing, Trinity Western will have a good chance to return to the post-season for the first time since 2009.
Men's Basketball
#2 UBC at Trinity Western
Friday November 2, 2012 - 8:00 PM
Saturday November 3, 2012 - 7:00 PM
Langley Events Centre
No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds
Exhibition Record - 6-1
Coming off an impressive exhibition schedule in which the 'Birds finished 6-1, UBC heads into the season ranked number two in the nation.
Just four players return from last year's UBC Thunderbirds roster but head coach Kevin Hanson has ably re-tooled the team with key recruits and transfers.
Brylle Kamen, a former NCAA Division I player and O'Brian Wallace, the former leading scorer at Brandon, will suit up for UBC after sitting out last year.
Jared Casey, a 6-11 centre, is the other transfer, having previously played at the University of San Francisco.
The trio of transfers will join guard Doug Plumb and forward Tommy Nixon to make up the veteran core of the squad.
UBC also has the improving David Wagner in the front court, sharpshooting guard Geoff Pippus and combo guard/forward Michael Steele.
Three new high school recruits will play an influential role in the team's success. Both Isaiah Solomon and Jordan Jensen-Whyte, the brother of former CIS MVP Josh Whyte, are likely to get starts at the point guard position. The last of the freshman group is 6-8 wing player Conor Morgan, who wrapped up a sting with Canada's Junior National Team in the summer.
Trinity Western Spartans
Exhibition Record - 3-4
This year's Trinity Western Spartans will have vastly different look than that of last year's edition and especially so within the starting lineup.
With three of the Spartans key starters from last year, in Calvin Westbrook, Kyle Coston and Sean Peter, gone, this year's TWU unit will be a bit of an unknown for head coach Scott Allen.
The offence will run through their lone fifth-year: guard Tristan Smith, who could be the only returning starter who will be on the floor for this year's opening tip-off. Smith will likely be joined in the starting five by Eli Mara, who missed all of last season with an injury, Tonner Jackson, who was at the Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa last year, and third-year college transfers Denny McDonald and Mark Perrin.
The Spartans have six players entering their first seasons playing at the CIS level but, with very little veteran depth, those newbies will need to step up if TWU is to improve on last year's first round playoff exit.
- with files from Canada West
