Vancouver, BC - Riding a two-game winning streak the UBC Thunderbirds men's basketball team travels to Abbotsford this weekend for a pair of games against the Fraser Valley Cascades. It is the first meeting of the season between these two rivals and the first since last season's Canada West semi-final, which the Thunderbirds won 68-61.
UBC enters the final weekend of regular season play prior to the holiday break sitting in a tie for third in the Pacific Division with a record of 4-4. Fraser Valley is in sixth place with a record of 3-5. Every team in the division is chasing the Victoria Vikes, who sit in first place with a perfect 8-0 record.
Health has been the biggest issue thus far for the Thunderbirds this season. Second-year forward
Conor Morgan has yet to play a game due to a foot injury, while starting point guard
Isaiah Solomon just returned to the line up last weekend. Solomon was a key factor in the 'Birds' wins over Winnipeg and Manitoba. Both games came down to the final moments with UBC prevailing by just two points over both the Wesmen and Bisons.
For UBC to have success
David Wagner will need to continue to be a force down low. The third-year product from Kamloops dominated last Friday against Winnipeg, putting up 29 points. So far this season he is averaging a team best 14.4 points per game to go along with 7.4 rebounds a game.
As for the Cascases, lots has changed since UBC last saw them back in March. Fraser Valley returned just one starter from last year's team, guard Kevon Parchment. Gone are the likes of Canada West First-Team All-Star Sam Freeman and Kyle Grewal. Parchment is tops on the Cascades with14.5 points per game and 7.1 rebounds a game. Scoring has been a bit of a struggle for Fraser Valley, they are the second lowest scoring team in the conference, averaging only 67.1 points per game. However, they are the third best defensive team in the Canada West, giving up 71.8 points per game.
Game times are 8:00 pm on Friday night and 7:00 pm on Saturday night at the Envision Athletic Centre in Abbotsford and can be seen live on
canadawest.tv.
