Tale of the Weekend

VICTORIA – Meaningful basketball returns to the CARSA Performance Gym this weekend as the UVic Vikes women's basketball team kicks off their regular season schedule with a pair of games against the UBC Okanagan Heat.
 
Taking place on Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m., the games will see a new look Vikes team take to the court against a Heat squad that is trying to rebound from missing out on the playoffs last year.
 
For the first time in five years the Vikes will enter the season without the trio of Jenna Bugiardini, Nicole Karstein and Jenna Krug to rely upon, after all three graduated from the program at the end of the last season.
 
Replacing athletes on a player-by-player basis is impossible and it will take a committee approach to fill the shoes of the three players that were dominant forces on the court.
 
A total of eleven new players have been added to the Vikes roster as the team reloads to try and make the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.
 
With no players in their fifth-year of eligibility a trio of fourth-years ­– Amira Giannattasio, Kristy Gallagher and Paige Thomson ­– will provide experience for the newcomers to the team.
 
The Vikes swept the Heat last season, picking up wins of 78-67 and 75-52 in Kelowna, B.C.
 
Last Time Out
 
A 12-8 regular season record was good enough for the Vikes to finish sixth in the Canada West conference last season. The Vikes made it to the Canada West Quarter-finals after sweeping the MacEwan Griffins in the Play-in Series. The Quarter-finals were as far as the Vikes would get however, as they were defeated by the Winnipeg Wesmen two games to one in Manitoba.
 
As the host school for the 2016-17 U SPORTS Final 8, the Vikes received an automatic berth to the national championship and came close to pulling off the upset of the tournament.
 
The No. 8 seeded Vikes led the No. 1 seeded Carleton Ravens 37-30 at the halftime break but couldn't hold onto their advantage before eventually losing by a score of 77-66.
 
The Heat failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, posting a record of 4-16 en route to a 16th place finish in the conference.
 
By the Numbers
 
780: The number of points fourth-year Vike Amira Giannattasio has scored so far in her Canada West career.
10: The Vikes have won the last ten meetings in a row between the two teams.
 
Coach's Take
Dani Sinclair, Vikes head coach
 
On the team entering the season with a scoring by committee approach.
 
"That can be a really positive thing. Our style of play will be slightly different because of that and we are going to need four to five people to really step up on any given night and play to their potential."
 
"The great thing is that we have more depth than we have had in years past. We can go into our bench a little bit more and so it's a positive and a negative that we don't have key players that other teams can focus on."
 
"There is definitely some youth on the team which again can be a positive and a negative, we have some young players who are really energetic, passionate and love being in the gym, competing everyday."
 
"I think we are going to see different people step up as the year goes on."
 
Game Info
 
Friday, Oct. 27 – 6:00 p.m. – vs. UBCO Heat, CARSA Performance Gym, Victoria B.C. Watch live on canadawest.tv | Buy tickets at govikeso.com/tickets

Saturday, Oct. 28 – 5:00 p.m. – vs. UBCO Heat, CARSA Performance Gym, Victoria B.C. Watch live on canadawest.tv | Buy tickets at govikesgo.com/tickets


2016-17 Information
UBCO Heat (4-16)
Canada West Standings: 16
RPI: 0.3946
Last Canada West Title: N/A
Last U SPORTS Title: N/A