UBCO Heat women's basketball team playoff bound after weekend split

UBCO clinch playoffs

Photo: Kaczur Photography

Vernon's Sydney Lewis paced the way for the UBCO Heat in a massive victory over the UFV Cascades on Friday night

Led by a standout performance by Vernon local Sydney Lewis, the UBCO Heat women's basketball team is back in the postseason for the fifth straight season

In two games against the University of Fraser Valley Cascades on the weekend, the Heat went 1-1, which helped sew up third in Canada West's pacific division, and a fifth overall placing heading into the postseason.

On Friday's match, Lewis had a career high 17 points on 8-12 shooting, while also chipping in six rebounds, four steals and three assists.

The Heat led wire-to-wire in the 73-69 victory, and held off a late surge from the Cascades, whose star player, Julia Tuchscherer fouled out with less than a minute to go.

On Saturday, the Heat led most of the way, and had a 57-49 lead heading into the fourth quarter. However, they were undone by a six-turnover quarter, and scored just eight points in the fourth to lose a heartbreaker, 66-65.

Lewis had another strong game, with 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Kelowna's Kanani Coon paced the Heat with 16 points, however just three of those came in the second half. Lily Pink also had 16, along with seven rebounds and four assists.

The Heat finished the season with a 10-10 record and will head to Regina this weekend for potentially two playoff games.

Ranked fifth in Canada West, they will take on the 12th seed Brandon Bobcats (7-13) in a play-in game on Friday, Feb. 3.

The winner of that match will have their hands full, however, as they will duel with the University of Regina Rams (four seed) on Saturday, who finished the season with a 17-3 record. The Rams spoiled the Heat's season a year ago, in a heartbreaking first round defeat, 64-56.