VICTORIA – They were agonizingly close to handing the Victoria Vikes (13-0) their first loss of the season, but the UBC Thunderbirds (10-4) fell just short as they lost on a buzzer-beater for their first defeat of the new year.

Mill Bay native Brendan Sullivan relished playing a game so close to home with 18 points and nine assists, both season-highs. Victor Radocaj poured in 19 points, five boards and four assists off the bench, while Fareed Shittu led the team in both points (20) and rebounds (7).

Renoldo Robinson and Ethan Boag combined for 51 of the Vikes' 90 points, with Robinson shooting an electric 5-6 from beyond the arc. UVic overall shot better on three-pointers (46%) than they did on two-point attempts (38%).

The first half was a shootout for much of its 20 minutes, beginning with the two teams trading buckets early in the first. After a UVic and-one brought the crowd to life and put the home team up 15-12, Sullivan answered right back with one of his own to tie it up once again.



The Vikes did pull ahead with some hot shooting, going up 33-23 late in the first in what would turn out to be their largest lead of the night. Sullivan then hit a massive triple from the logo as the clock expired to cut the lead to seven at the end of the frame.

UBC went on a run to begin the second, with Nylan Roberts setting up Shittu for a slam dunk to make it 36-32. With four minutes to play in the half Adam Olsen banked in a three coming around a screen to make it a one possession game, followed immediately by a nifty alley-oop layup finish from Radocaj.

UVic, however, made another push and ended the half on an 8-2 run to go up 56-49 at the break.

Once again, the T-Birds came out hot to begin the third. They brought out the clamps after a high-flying first half and grounded the Vikes, allowing just two points through the first six minutes as they surged into the lead.

Another lob to Radocaj from Sullivan followed by a three-pointer from the point guard made it 71-66. Roberts then ended the third with a block inside to maintain the lead heading into the final quarter.



A sweet finish inside from Shittu early in the fourth put UBC up 10, which like UVic ended up being the biggest lead they would hold. The Vikes refused to go down, and a furious rally cut the lead to just two in the final minutes.

Olsen hit a massive floater to put the 'Birds up 86-81 with a minute and a half left, but their rivals from across the water again pushed back and tied the game with just 23 seconds on the clock.

Disaster then struck for the Thunderbirds, as they turned it over on the final play, with enough time left for the Vikes to push the ball up the court and get the ball into the hands of Boag near the sideline. The fourth-year forward calmly stepped inside the arc and nailed a jumper as the horn sounded, much to the delight of the crowd.

With this being just a one-game week, the T-Birds will have time to move past this loss as they focus on their next two games. Those will come against the Trinity Western Spartans on January 31st and February 1st in Langley.