The Capilano Blues win PACWEST gold on home court
For the second time in three years, the Capilano Blues are champions of PACWEST men’s basketball and this time they did it on home court.
Capilano University (CapU), the No. 3 seed in the tournament, knocked off the No. 1-seed Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners 75–70 Saturday night to book a spot at the CCAA National Championship.
The game was tied 55–55 heading to the fourth quarter but two minutes into the final frame, CapU took a lead they would not relinquish on a three by Kash Lang. That was followed by a jumper from Ahmad Athman and another three from Arshya Ghasemi, which forced VIU to call a timeout.
VIU’s Kai Leighton made a couple of late threes to keep the Mariners in the ballgame to the final moments but the loud crowd at CapU’s Centre for Sport & Wellness, full of Blues volleyball and soccer players, erupted when David Featherston Jr. hammered a two-handed dunk with just 19 seconds remaining to all but seal the deal.
An Athman free-throw put the game out of reach and after a meaningless three-point heave by VIU’s Kam Bender bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded, the boisterous student crowd swarmed to the court to celebrate.
Blues point guard Athman was named Player of the Game and tournament MVP after recording 21 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals in the title match. The fourth-year guard out of Oshawa, Ont., was heroic for the Blues, totalling 42 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds in the semifinals and finals. His tenacious defending held conference Player of the Year Bender to just four points in the second half Saturday.
On the way to gold, CapU defeated Douglas College 89–63 in Thursday’s quarter-final and went to double-overtime with Camosun in Friday’s semifinals before coming out on top 75–66 behind 14 points, 22 rebounds and eight assists from Damein Coleman.
Featherston Jr. and Coleman were named to the tournament All-Star Team.
Earlier in the day, the Capilano women’s team earned a bronze medal, defeating Douglas College 61–49. Maddy Coffin was named to the tournament All-Star Team. The bronze is the first for Capilano since the 2011-’12 season.
The Blues have now medalled in four consecutive PACWEST tournaments, winning silver in 2022, gold in 2023 and bronze last year. This was their fourth conference title in men's basketball.
CapU will head to Montreal for the 2025 CCAA National Championship being hosted March 11 to 15 at Vanier College.
Submitted by: Communications