Big third quarter lifts UNBC to weekend sweep

Women's Basketball
January 7, 2023
A player has the ball and looks to shoot with a defender nearby
The UNBC Timberwolves defeated the Manitoba Bisons 82-69 on Shoot for the Cure day at the Northern Sport Centre.

An offensive burst to open the third quarter lifted the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves to a weekend sweep of the Manitoba Bisons, with a 82-69 victory Saturday afternoon at the Northern Sport Centre.

The Timberwolves scored 14 straight points coming out of halftime to build a cushion and win their third game in four outings, moving to 3-7 on the year and inch closer to a playoff position in the competitive Canada West conference. The loss dropped the Bisons to 0-10 on the year.

Sarah Kuklisin helped facilitate the offensive explosion, running the offence in the half court and getting in the action herself with a steal near half-court leading to an uncontested layup. The very next Timberwolves position she got to the line, drained a pair of free throws to complete the 14-point run.

“We knew going into this game it was going to be harder than Friday,” said UNBC’s Alina Shakirova, who led the team with 22 points. “The first half was tough. We realized we needed to fight and come out with a lot of energy. The third quarter was the key.”

UNBC extended its lead to as much as 25, but the Bisons hungry for a win pushed hard in the fourth quarter to get back in the game. The Timberwolves countered in the final minutes to put the game away.

“It feels great,” Shakirvoa said of the win. “We’ve been working hard and the first half of the season was really tough. We really needed the double win.”

Olivia Wilson scored 11 for UNBC, before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Kuklisin, Rebecca Landry and Laura Garmendia Garcia added 10 apiece.

For the Bisons, Lauren Bartlett scored a game-high 23 points. Brynn Endicott added 11.

Barlett said the Bisons were looking to rebound after a disappointing loss Friday when the team fell behind early and never recovered.

“We wanted to come out with a lot of intensity today, which I think we did,” she said. “The second half we came out flat and it hurt us for the rest of the game. But there were glimpses of good things on offence and some good defensive stops.”

Both teams were in their Shoot for the Cure uniforms, UNBC in pink with white trim and Manitoba wearing white with pink trim and Bison brown numbers. Held annually by each U SPORTS team, the Shoot for the Cure game raises funds and awareness for breast cancer research.

Shakirova said there was added motivation playing on Shoot for the Cure day.

We talked about it before the game, that it’s not just a game, it’s a special day,” Sh “We were playing not just for us and for our team, but everyone who is fighting breast cancer.”

The teams gathered at half-court for a group photo before the game. Collectively, U SPORTS has raised more than $1.75 million since the campaign launched in 2007.

“It was great getting together with the other team,” Bartlett said. “It’s such an important cause. Breast cancer awareness is really important to our team.”

After an uneven first quarter on offence, the buckets started falling for the Timberwolves in the second stanza. The Timbewolves missed their first nine three-point attempts before Rebecca Landry connected on one midway through the second as momentum began to swing towards the home side.

UNBC took the lead a little less than halfway through the frame when Laura Garmendia Garcia drew a defender off as faked a kick out and drove past her to finish with a layup giving the Timberwolves a 24-23 advantage, part of a 13-point UNBC run. UNBC extended the lead to double digits late in the quarter before the Bisons closed the gap slightly. UNBC took a 37-29 lead into the break.

The Timberwolves head on the road next weekend to the provincial capital for a pair of games against the Victoria Vikes. The Bisons play their provincial rivals the Brandon Bobcats in the Wheat City.

The Timberwolves next home game is Jan. 20 when the Winnipeg Wesmen visit. Tip off is 5 p.m. at the Northern Sport Centre.