Brent Mutis
CapU sports info
An effective third quarter for the visiting Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners proved to be the difference in an 82-76 victory that gave them both ends of the Friday-Saturday doubleheader over the Capilano Blues.
VIU held a one-point edge at halftime but extended it to eight in the third on the strength of two three and 10 points by guard Peter Li, who finished with a game-high 25.
Saturday's effort was a better one by the Blues, who struggled shooting the ball in Friday's opener. Josh Dhillon led the way for CapU Saturday with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting. His 10 points in the fourth quarter kept the Blues in it but VIU did enough down the stretch to hang on.
Kash Lang continues to be the Blues most consistent player, posting 18 points and seven boards Saturday. No other Blues player reached double digits but Ahmad Athman had a full stat sheet with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
MBB | Final score 82-76 as the @VIUMariners hold off a surging Blues squad late in the 4th quarter and defeat the Blues.
— Capilano University Blues (@CapilanoBlues) January 21, 2024
Leading the way is Dhillon with 23 PTS & 4 AST, Lang with 18 PTS & 7 REB, and Athman with 9 PTS & 3 AST.#GoBlues #NorthVan #BleedBlue #CapU pic.twitter.com/qBQQ9TYsc6
On Friday night, a tenacious defensive performance by VIU plus some struggles from three-point range by the Blues added up to a 75-56 result in favour of the visitors Friday night at CapU.
The Blues were just 2-for-16 from downtown with Lang the only player to connect from beyond the arc. The Idaho native ended up with a game-high 21 points and added seven boards.
CapU started well, going up 8-2 in the game's opening moments but VIU found their form and prevented the Blues from getting easy looks on the fast break the remainder of the night. Scoring the ball was hard throughout the game for Capilano as they were held under 15 points in three of the four quarters. Despite going to the free throw line 34 times to VIU's eight, CapU trailed by double digits from late in the first half onward.
MBB | Final score 75-56 as the @VIUMariners defeat the Blues despite a slow start.
— Capilano University Blues (@CapilanoBlues) January 20, 2024
Rematch tomorrow at 3 pm!
Leading the way is Lang with 21 PTS & 7 REB, Gahir with 11 PTS & 4 AST, and Dhillon with 6 PTS and 4 STL.#GoBlues #BleedBlue #CapU pic.twitter.com/xO5J4sgDC6
The PACWEST schedule has the Blues hosting Douglas College Jan. 26 and 27. The Friday game is an 8 p.m. start with Saturday's game going at 6 p.m.
