Saturday night in Langley, the UNBC Timberwolves (4-14) wrapped up their double-header weekend in Langley with a 65-53 setback to the Trinity Western Spartans (10-8). The tandem of Viktoriia Filatova (18) and Sarah Kuklisin (17) combined for 35 points while Cassidy Buchanan and Shemaiah Abatayo recorded 12 each in response for the Spartans. Buchanan added a team-high eight boards and five assists for the hosts while Sveta Boykova (9) and Brynn Dergousoff (7) combined for 16 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
After a 14-point fourth quarter a night ago, Viktoriia Filatova picked up right where she left. The second-year star poured in eight of UNBC’s first 11 points, and went two-for-two from deep during that stretch. The other five first quarter points for UNBC came from Boykova. Defensively the TWolves held their own in the first, keeping Trinity Western to just four-of-19 from the field. But the Spartans were a perfect four-for-four from the free-throw line and Abatayo (5), Vander Kooi (4) and Buchanan (4) did just enough to match UNBC at 13-13.
The Spartans outscored the TWolves by seven in the second, and held a 33-26 lead at the half. Seven of UNBC’s 13 second quarter points came from Sarah Kuklisin who nailed a three and a pair of jumpers. Kuklisin was doing some solid work on the defensive side too as she had four rebounds to her name at half, along with teammates Boykova and Dergousoff. Cassidy Buchanan countered with eight second quarter points for the Spartans while Abatayo added seven. Buchanan held a game-high five rebounds at half, alongside teammate Blessing Ibekwe.
The Trinity Western lead extended by eight more in the third quarter thanks to a nine-for-16 shooting effort. A jumper from Grace Corneau helped move Trinity Western ahead 17, but the TWolves eventually clawed their way back within six thanks to a sequence that included a three from Kuklisin, a jumper from Sophia Fuller and a pair of free-throws from Sveta Boykova, but late buckets from Corneau and Colett Van der Hoven ensured that the Spartans led 56-41 through three.
UNBC outscored the Spartans 12-9 in the final quarter, but were never able to sustain a long enough run of offense to get their deficit back to single digits. Kuklisin registered six more points off a pair of threes, and Amrit Manak hit twice from the field to supply a majority of the fourth quarter offense for UNBC, but the final score showed 65-53 for Trinity Western.
Up next for UNBC – a home double-header on Friday and Saturday next weekend against the division-leaders from UBC. Friday’s 6:00 pm clash with the Thunderbirds os Shoot For the Cure Night and the TWolves will be wearing brand new pink cancer-themed jerseys.