Sheleese Hoilett went 4-for-8 from the field in just 16 minutes, adding eight points, three steals, and a block for the Blues in a narrow 63–62 loss to the visiting Douglas College Royals Saturday night.

 

The Blues struggled to find their footing in the first quarter of Saturday night’s game against the Royals. The first two minutes saw a dry spell for both teams, with neither team scoring. Maddy Coffin had a strong night, scoring 22 points, including the first points of the game for Capilano. The Royals kept answering, but CapU wasn’t letting them have it easy; footwork and defensive plays kept Douglas on their toes. Capilano called a timeout at 9-2 for the Royals with three minutes remaining in the quarter. Coming back from the reset, Teigan Manson contributed with an immediate 2-point jumpshot. CapU maintained its defensive prowess despite the Royals' strong offensive performance, keeping Douglas from extending their lead. Mia Parkin hit a 3-point buzzer beater for the Blues, bringing them a 17-13 deficit heading into the second.

 

The second quarter started with an unfortunate injury to Lucia Lopez. Barcha Hnizdilova led the Blues in tightening the score, following free throws and a 3-point jump shot, forcing the Royals to take a timeout in an attempt to curb the Blues. Coffin kept her game up following the timeout, getting an immediate layup and free throws to give CapU a two-point lead. The Blues game from outside the paint stayed strong through the second quarter, with Hnizdilova, Coffin, and Lauren Tomlinson scoring to keep the Blues up by one. Hnizdilova kept Douglas at bay by finishing the second quarter with a 3-pointer, giving the Blues a 33-38 lead into the half.

 

The third quarter was a struggle for both teams, with the score staying tight. Capilano maintained the lead with strong defence, including steals and blocks. Despite Douglas briefly taking the lead, the Blues stayed together and found their footing, making strong plays on both ends of the court. Hoilett was impressive tonight and dominant in the third, contributing over half of Capilano's points (6-of-11). The Royals responded with a push of their own and tied the game 49-49 heading into the last quarter.

 

Tomlinson started the fourth with a 3-pointer, and Coffin followed, bringing the score to 51-55 for the Blues. Douglas then found it in them to push and closed the gap to two points. Capilano took this moment to call a timeout, forcing a break and coming back stronger. After fouls from the visitors, Coffin tied the score with free throws and initiated a switch in the Blues' defence to find their momentum. Coffin then took the Blues into the lead with a layup, firing up the team even more.

 

With 30 seconds left in the fourth, Douglas called a timeout at 60-59.  A layup from Hnizdilova following Capilano's timeout gave the Blues a one-point lead with 7.9 seconds left on the clock. With a single point determining the night, Douglas called a timeout and followed it up with a layup and a 63-62 victory, splitting the weekend series.

 

Next up for the Blues are the Columbia Bible College Bearcats in Abbotsford at Columbia Place, February 13 and 14.