For the second time in the Canada West playoffs, the UBC women’s basketball team found themselves in an extremely tight game, with UBC holding a one possession lead in the last minute. Hosting the No. 4 University of Regina Cougars in their semifinal matchup, the Thunderbirds had their work cut out for them in their attempt to return to the Canada West final for the second year in a row and book their ticket to the U Sports national tournament, Final 8.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. It was do-or-die for the T-Birds, as a win in this match would guarantee them at least three more games of basketball this season — the ensuing Canada West final and at least two games at nationals. For UBC, a team with a vast amount of senior players in their final year of eligibility the more chances to keep playing the better.
In the final 17 seconds, with the T-Birds up three, the fate of their season — and for those seniors, their careers — was on the line. One of those seniors, fifth-year UBCO transfer Jaeli Ibbetson, found herself at the line. As War Memorial Gym fell silent, she took a pause. Then, she sank the first. With so much at stake, it would be easy for the pressure to get to a player. But Ibbetson stayed focused. As she made the second, UBC could exhale. Thanks to Ibbetson’s clutch shooting at the line, UBC had more than a one possession lead with little time left.
“Proud of our resiliency late especially,” said UBC’s head coach Dave Taylor. “They're a really tough team.”
By that point, the Cougars had almost fully run out of options, and when they couldn’t connect from behind the arc on their ensuing shot, the game was all but decided. In the game’s last possession, fifth-year UBC guard Olivia Weekes made another clutch free throw to bring the score to 74–68, solidifying the win as the clock ran out right after. It was a deja vu moment for UBC, as a week after a nailbiter against Alberta, they had won a tight postseason battle against a tough Prairie team by six points, as they toppled the Cougars to move to the Canada West finals.
“I'm so proud of the team,” said fifth-year forward Cassie Joli-Coeur. “It was a little bit of a battle getting here, but we did it together.”
“I'm so grateful we pulled it out, and that's over and we get to prepare for next week,” said Weekes.
UBC finished the regular season on top of the conference, but their postseason campaign has been anything but easy. After ending the regular season with a 16–4 record, earning the first seed in the Pacific Division and, by extension, the No. 1 seed in Canada West, the T-Birds would get to face lower seeded teams to start the tournament. You would think this would highly favour them to win, but so far, both teams have put UBC to the test. In their quarterfinals match the week prior, they faced the University of Alberta Pandas, where the Thunderbirds came up clutch once again in the final moments to secure the 75–69 win for their spot in the semifinals.
“That's Canada West right now … it's a grind,” said Taylor. “You're playing great teams at this time of year.”
Their semifinal opponent would also be a great team, albeit one they may have had an interesting insight into — beyond scouting reports and film. UBC’s head coach Dave Taylor was the former head coach of the Cougars, holding that position for 19 years until he became the coach of the Thunderbirds this summer. Arguably their best coach in program history, Taylor achieved a lot at the helm of Regina, leading them to earn two Canada West championships, nine national tournaments, and back-to-back Final 8 silver medals.
However, even with the loss of their highly-accomplished coach, the Cougars never missed a beat this season. Unlike UBC, Regina practically breezed right through their quarterfinals match against the UBC Okanagan Heat. The Cougars completely dominated, holding a lead as large as 31 points in the third. They easily overpowered the Heat 74–48 to earn their spot in the semifinals against the T-Birds.
This dominant showing by Regina was not surprising. Although they are the fourth seed in the conference, this team is extremely tough, finishing second in the Prairie Division and fourth nationally. They boasted an incredible 17–3 record — slightly above the Thunderbirds’ 16–4 mark — to end the regular season. Their three losses came only to the undefeated University of Saskatchewan Huskies and the University of Alberta Pandas.
The Cougars’ success this season is in part due to their strong veteran players who have fuelled their success this season. That experience paid off early, as fifth-year Cara Misskey got a layup for the first points of the match.
Misskey was recently named a Canada West first-team all star after a phenomenal season, jumping up from the third-team last year. With the numbers she put up this season, it was a well-deserved accolade. Misskey led the conference in assists with 113 and was top five for both field goal percentage and three point percentage, at 47.5 and 37.1 respectively.
Led by Misskey, Regina’s offence was dangerous — third in the conference in points-per-game, so UBC's defence needed to be sharp against this skilled team. And they were — at least on Regina’s initial scoring attempts. With three rebounds in the first two minutes, the Cougars kept beating them to the board, eventually getting 6–0 to start.
Although the T-Birds started off on the wrong foot, they didn’t let it keep them down for long, as fourth-year Cerys Merton found fifth-year Sara Toneguzzi in the corner to finally get the offence going. In their quarterfinal match, Toneguzzi had sparked the T-Birds whenever they needed an offensive push. Early against Regina, she gave them momentum again, taking a breath before sinking a three-pointer. With that basket, UBC finally made their way onto the board and cut their deficit in half.
Their success beyond the arc continued. UBC sunk another three-pointer soon after, as fourth-year guard Stella LaGrange tied the score at eight. Taking the ball in the corner, UBC’s Jade Huynh looked to keep their three-streak alive, but it didn't go. Even off the miss, however, Joli-Coeur was there to grab the board and convert on a jumper to give UBC their first lead of the game, up 10–8.
As evidenced by this back-and-forth opening stretch, this was a game that could turn on a dime, as both teams are stellar competitors. After Regina’s six point lead to start the game, the T-Birds had flipped the game, as following Joli-Coeur’s jumper, Huynh again went for the three in the corner, but this time, she found nothing but net, putting UBC up five.
Yet while the ‘Birds were hitting from distance, they struggled in the paint against Regina’s defence under the net. Although they had closed the gap, picking up their game after a bit of a slow start, the Thunderbirds still found themselves trailing 22–17 after the first quarter.
“It seems to take us a little bit to settle in,” said Taylor. “It's hard to replicate another team in practice so you [have] to kind of get your feet under you a little bit.”
After the start of the second quarter, they seemed to have finally warmed up. As Weekes passed the ball to Ibbetson in the paint, even while triple-teamed, she tried to turn and post up. She couldn't connect, but still earned a foul to score the first points of the quarter, cutting their deficit to four. After Ibbetson finally found some points in the paint, UBC continued to find success from behind the arc — shooting 50 per cent from three in the second half— as Huynh once again sank a quick catch-and-shoot three. Weekes then added a layup to re-take the lead, going up by one to cap off three consecutive successful Thunderbird possessions at the start of the frame.
Their strong start to the second helped UBC close the gap, but the game remained tight as both teams traded baskets. Neither team took more than a two-point lead for nearly four full minutes. In the midst of this back-and-forth, with the game tied, Weekes was working hard to find the net. As the shot clock was about to run out, she tried to get the jumper off in time. While her shot missed, just bouncing off the rim, she was right there for her own rebound, giving the T-Birds the lead back, going up 30–28.
It is this tenacity and determination at the net that makes Weekes deserving of her newest accolade — being announced as a first-time first-team all-star. Last year, she was a second-team all-star, and this year, she has only improved as a player, even making history as UBC women’s basketball’s all-time leader in career free throws made. This season she has nearly averaged a double–double, ranked second in the conference for scoring and third for rebounds with an average of 16.8 points and 9.1 rebounds. She was a huge part of the Thunderbirds’ win in their quarterfinals match, notching an impressive 21 points and 11 rebounds, while also getting the game-clinching steal on defence in the final moments.
“I mean, my teammates helped me do it, [they] feed me the ball, and I'm able to finish,” said Weekes. “I'm just super grateful.”
With Weekes opening up a ‘Birds lead, UBC hit their stride, extending their lead to break the four-minute back-and-forth. Heading into the last five minutes of the half, both their offence and defence were working in tandem, as, following the Weekes layup, Joli-Coeur posted up to score before Huynh made a steal to immediately get the ball back. As the T-Birds had back-to-back points at the free throw line, they went into bonus with just under four minutes left in the quarter, helping them keep the lead.
“[It’s about] making sure that we are the ones setting the pace for the game and playing together,” said Joli-Coeur. “When we play together, we're really hard to stop.”
Joli-Coeur found the net again before halftime, making a clutch basket to keep UBC in front, up 42–37 at the break. After their rough start, the Thunderbirds had turned the game around, especially with their strong end to the second quarter. It was a team effort for UBC, with eight of the 11 rostered T-Birds getting on the scoreboard in the half, but with her team-leading 12 points, it was Joli-Coeur who was energizing the ‘Birds on the court.
In only her first year as a T-Bird — coming to UBC for her masters after playing with the McMaster University Marauders — Joli-Coeur has fit right in. More than that, even. Averaging 9.5 points this season with a strong 46.6 field goal percentage, she has made quite the impact, earning a third-team all-star nod. Coming off the bench most of the season, she has only started four games this year, but still makes her mark when she steps onto the court as a quick impact player for the Thunderbirds.
"It's been so special to come in for one year and have such an amazing group of girls welcome you into their family,” said Joli-Coeur. “I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”
Entering the third quarter, the Cougars — with their own Canada West all-stars to push play — wouldn’t stay far behind for long. Fifth-year Jade Belmore, a second-team all-star, hit a crucial three-pointer and drew the foul for a four-point play, quickly closing the gap to 46–44 two minutes into the half. Scoring 28 in the game — double her closest teammate, Misskey — Belmore was racking up the points in this match, being practically unstoppable from the field.
As the ball went back and forth, falling back into an extended stretch where the lead was within a possession, both teams started to play frantic. With their seasons on the line, both UBC and Regina were playing with the intensity of having everything to lose. Both teams were struggling to connect, either missing shots or turning the ball over as their defence also turned up in intensity. For three full minutes in the middle of the frame, a Regina layup was the only score.
Both teams were stuck in a deadlock. Making another basket to beat the shot clock, Weekes sank a three-pointer for UBC to take the lead, 53–50. Belmore responded in turn with a three of her own to tie it once again.
In the dying moments of the quarter, Huynh came up big for the T-Birds. After earning a foul, she was perfect from the line to extend their lead to 55–53. On the ensuing play, she helped push the Cougars out of bounds to turn over the ball with little time left. UBC would enter the fourth with a lead, albeit, a slim one.
In basketball, a lot can happen in 10 minutes. It was still anyone’s match to win. In their quarterfinals matchup — stuck in a similar situation — the T-Birds battled hard to the end and were able to come out on top. They would have to dig deep once again and find that drive to pull off another postseason win.
To start the quarter, the teams kept trading body blows. A definitive lead was nowhere in sight. For the first points of the frame, Misskey wasted no time trying to connect for the Cougars. She drove straight to the net and drew a foul, sinking both free throws to tie the score at 55. As had been the case all game, responded right back as Weekes — with the Regina defence tight on her — muscled her way to the net to score. Both teams traded the one point lead back and forth in a tug-of-war for the win.
“Even when they were making big plays, we didn't get rattled,” said Taylor. “We went down and made plays too.”
Finally establishing a multi-shot lead — the first such lead for either team since the opening two minutes of the second half — it was Ibbetson who really made the difference for UBC, making a clutch three-pointer right at the buzzer of the shot clock to put the ‘Birds up four. Another new Thunderbird this year, she had a strong performance in the quarterfinals with 15 points. She topped it in the semifinals. Her double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds propelled UBC to the finish line.
As UBC continued to push with their offence, they gained their largest lead of the fourth quarter, up 69–63 with two minutes left. But the Thunderbirds couldn’t let their guard down. With her fifth three-pointer, Belmore brought the score back to a one possession difference.
The teams traded layups as the clock wound inside 40 seconds. With UBC up 71–68, as had been the case all game, the trailing team was within a shot. Getting the ball after Regina’s layup brought them back within three, Ibbetson went for a three-pointer at the top of the arc but couldn’t connect. If the Cougars got the ball back, they could send it to overtime. Instead, Toneguzzi, being quick on her feet, was able to get the rebound for UBC, both keep possession and, perhaps more importantly, draw a foul. With only 16.6 seconds left, the crowd held their breath as Ibbetson went to the line. Staying composed, she made both shots to put them up 73–68. The Cougars took a timeout, running out of options.
“Down the stretch, when we needed things, some rebounds or some foul shots, we found ways,” said Taylor.
In the final seconds, the Cougars tried to do everything they could to earn the win, but fell short, airballing two three-pointer attempts as the clock was running out. With the last possession, Weekes made a free throw to bring the score to 74–68, and at the final whistle, in a game where no team ever led by more than seven, the T-Birds had held on.
UBC’s perseverance, determination, and clutch play that they’ve now demonstrated in back-to-back elimination games is exactly the kind of approach it takes for a team to make it far in the playoffs. They’ve made their way through two playoff games now — they’ll have at least three more to go. By beating Regina, the Thunderbirds earned their spot in both the Canada West finals and the U Sports Final 8 in Quebec. If they keep it up, this kind of play could take them far — even on the national stage.
“That was our goal right away,” said Taylor. “I'm so proud and excited to take this team to Nationals.”
“I can't even comprehend it right now,” said Weekes. “I'm so excited to be there again with my team for the last year. Couldn't have played out better.”
This will mark back-to-back appearances for the T-Birds in the Canada West finals. Last year, they just fell short of the win against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, a juggernaut team on a 20-game win streak who went on to become the national champions in last year’s Final 8, eliminating the T-Birds on the national stage as well. Luckily for the T-Birds, they narrowly missed out on a rematch.
In the biggest upset of the season, University of Calgary Dinos defeated the Huskies 61–58 in their semifinal matchup. That Dinos victory snapped a 51-game winning streak for the Huskies, who had beaten the Dinos by 19 and 31 points in their two regular season matchups. In UBC’s two matchups against Saskatchewan this year, they lost both by more than 20 points. They haven’t played the Dinos yet, so they won’t know how they match up, but they have to feel somewhat fortunate to avoid the Huskies. UBC will host Calgary at home Saturday Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. for their chance to become the Canada West champions and send themselves off to Nationals on a high note.
“[Aim to] keep pushing the pace, working together, getting after the boards and give [them] a really hard time in the finals,” said Joli-Coeur.
“The beautiful thing about right now … you're starting to play for medals, and anytime you're playing for medals, it's awesome,” said Taylor.
