A strong third quarter by the top-ranked team in Canada West’s BC Division proved to be the difference, as the UFV Cascades topped the UNBC Timberwolves 73-60 on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 in Prince George, BC.
In the early minutes of the opening frame, it was the Cascades who came out the more assertive team, moving the ball around and giving the Timberwolves trouble with their length, opening up an 8-2 lead. Reserves Laura Garmendia Garcia and Anastasia Soltes entered the game and energized the home team, sparking a 12-2 run for UNBC, as the TWolves seized the lead late in the quarter. Fraser Valley freshman Julia Tuchscherer would respond for the Cascades, making a pair of jumpers and UFV led 16-14 after ten minutes.
The two teams traded baskets to open the second, alternating control of the lead and any semblance of momentum. A Nikki Cabuco trey was answered by a Lucy Guan three-pointer. An Emma vanBruinessen layup was responded to by a Deanna Tuchscherer bucket inside. At the three minute mark, the Nationally-ranked Cascades seized some momentum, as guard Maddy Gobeil displayed why she has ascended to the elite level within the conference, making a trey and tough bucket inside.
At the half, the Cascades held a 34-28 lead, with the backcourt combination of Cabuco and Gobeil each notching nine points. Canada West all-star Deanna Tuchscherer added four points, six rebounds, and five assists. Garmendia Garcia’s eight point were enough to pace the TWolves, adding four boards in 10 minutes.
In the third quarter, UNBC leading scorer Alina Shakirova got to work, trying to break down a physical and active Cascades defense. The Moscow native scored six early points, drawing the Timberwolves to within two points, but Al Tuchscherer’s team dug in defensively and started to turn stops into points at the other end. Natalie Rathler led the way with some tough baskets inside, and her work on the boards opened up Gobeil and Cabuco for open jumpers. An 8-0 run gave UFV some breathing room, and they found themselves up 57-45 at the end of the third.
Sergey Shchepotkin went to his bench in the fourth, with freshmen Adaiah Tupas-Singh, Taylor Blais, and Hanna Busic all on the court at the same time, earning valuable experience for their young careers. Sveta Boykova gave the Timberwolves some life, making a trio of jumpers, but the Cascades were able to slow the pace of play, work it inside, and hold UNBC off. Rathler continued to assert herself on the offensive glass, senior guard Alexis Worrell steered the ship the rest of the way, and the Cascades earned a 73-60 victory.
Shakirova led UNBC with 14 points in 23 minutes, to go along with five rebounds and four assists. Boykova had a double double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Garmendia Garcia added 10 points and five rebounds.
Cabuco was UFV’s high-scorer with 15 points, adding four steals. Her backcourt mate Gobeil was good for 13 points, five rebounds, and four helpers, while Deanna Tuchscherer was tremendous with 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Julia Tuchscherer chipped in with 12 points off the bench, and Rathler reached double figures with 10 points and eight rebounds
