Victoria, BC – The University of Victoria men's basketball team opened its Canada West season in emphatic fashion, defeating the UFV Cascades 108-83 on Oct. 29 at CARSA Performance Gym.
The Vikes' offence was firing from the opening tip.
- Victoria poured in 30 first-quarter points and never trailed, setting the tone with efficient shooting and ball movement.
- The Vikes followed with 27 points in the second quarter to build a 57-42 halftime advantage.
- Victoria connected on 12 three-pointers and shot 55.9 percent from the field while consistently finding quality looks offensively.
The Vikes continued to build their lead throughout the second half.
- Victoria maintained control in the third quarter, outscoring the Cascades 22-21 to carry a 79-63 lead into the fourth.
- The Vikes closed the game with another 29-point quarter and finished with 108 points in the season opener.
- Victoria recorded 22 assists on 33 made field goals and dominated the glass with a 44-37 rebounding advantage.
- The Vikes depth was on full display as Toren Franklin scored 14 points in just 13 minutes, shooting 4-for-5 from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Notables
- Cole Bekkering led the Vikes with 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.
- In what was a regularly achieved feat a season ago, the Vikes eclipsed the 100-point mark in their first game of the season.
- Victoria improves to 1-0 in Canada West play, while UFV falls to 0-1.
The Vikes return to action on Oct. 31 when they travel to Langley, BC, to face the Trinity Western Spartans.
