WBB: Timberwolves shooting goes cold; fall to Heat in Kelowna

Women's Basketball
January 21, 2022

The UNBC Timberwolves couldn’t find their touch from long range, making just a pair of three-pointers in a tough 82-65 defeat at the hands of the UBC Okanagan Heat in Kelowna on Friday, January 21st, 2022.

The Heat came out early with their signature high-intensity full court pressure, but UNBC did well to break the press resulting in a pair of Emma vanBruinessen layups from a driving Lucy Guan. UBCO responded well, as the Timberwolves struggled to convert open looks, and the Heat went on a 6-0 run to build a 11-4 first quarter advantage. Surprise Munie picked up where she left off last Saturday, burying an open look from lang-range as well as a floater in the paint to lead the way for the home side. Rebecca Landry and Alina Shakirova helped the TWolves get back in a rhythm, but found themselves down 24-15 after ten minutes.

In the second frame, UNBC’s offensive struggles continued as they missed a number of shots that would normally be converted for easy buckets. However, Sergey Shchepotkin’s team would calm down, thanks to veterans Shakirova, vanBruinessen, and Sveta Boykova. The TWolves would chip away at the Heat lead, and cut the deficit back down to 38-32 when the buzzer sounded.

The TWolves can usually rely on some relatively efficient shooting from outside the arc, but were held without a three-point FG in the first half, but they did a much better job containing the Heat post due of Kelsey Falk and Jaeli Ibbetson on the glass. vanBruinessen paced UNBC with eight point and five rebounds, while Munie had 11 points for UBC Okanagan.

The two teams, who were so closely matched in seasonal statistics, traded buckets much of the third stanza. Shakirova continued to assert herself inside, despite giving up size to most of the Heat posts, while Falk showed why she is one of the better bigs in the conference for the Heat. Every time the TWolves cut the deficit to a manageable margin, the Heat would make a big jumper to grow their lead again. With one quarter to go, UBCO led it 61-48.

The fourth quarter looked eerily similar to the first three, with the TWolves showing life before the Heat stomping it out with a crucial run. Kelsey Falk’s work on the offensive end continued to give UNBC problems as the veteran post found herself open for some easy looks inside. The Timberwolves searched for answers, with reserve guard Jenna Korolek making a big three and providing some energy on defense, along with freshman guards Hanna Busic and Adaiah Tupas-Singh. However, the clock was not the TWolves’ ally, ticking away as the Heat did enough to hold off any momentum from the visitors.

When the final buzzer sounded, UBC Okanagan had earned a convincing 82-65 victory to improve to 6-6 on the season, while the TWolves fall to 4-6.

Shakirova led the way offensively with 21 points along with four rebounds, while Laura Garmendia Garcia came off the bench and added 12 points and eight boards. Sveta Boykova had a 10 point, 10 rebound double-double, and Emma vanBruinessen chipped in with a hard-fought eight points and 10 boards, including six on the offensive glass.

For the Heat, Falk was tremendous with 20 points and eight rebounds, including five at the offensive end. Surprise Munie added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Alessia Brutto had 11 points in 19 minutes.

The two teams will clash for the third and final time this season on Saturday in Kelowna.