The Camosun Chargers men’s and women’s basketball teams are ready to host the PACWEST Championships in March. The provincial championships will take place from March 2 to 4 at the Pacific Institute for Sports Education (PISE).
Chargers men’s basketball coach Geoff Pippus says it’s important to finish the season off strong and carry that momentum into the playoffs.
“It is huge, and it is huge for seeding as well,” says Pippus. “There is a group of us sort of competing for the second spot, and just in terms of the bracket and seeding, finishing second gives you a huge advantage because you get a bye in the first round. So that would mean you only have to win one game to get to the provincial championship game, and also the national tournament.”
The men’s team has a current record of 11-5 with a five-game winning streak, and they’re sitting in second place with only two more games left. Their strong defence has helped them win many games this season, as they hold their opponents to only 70.8 points per game on average. However, Pippus thinks they still need to improve on some aspects to meet their full potential going into the championships.
“We are still having moments of being inconsistent, where we will have great stretches of a quarter or a couple of quarters in a row, and the stretches where we lose focus a little bit,” says Pippus. “Offensively, the whole year I have just said to the guys, ‘Trust your talent, trust your ability to make decisions and go up and play free,’ and I think having that ability to make decisions on the fly… is an advantage when things get tough in the playoffs.”
Similarly, the women’s team is having a strong end to their regular season. They currently have a 9-7 record with two games left, and they recently took over third place after beating Douglas College twice at home. Nonetheless, Sophie Leslie, a fourth-year guard, believes the team has yet to show their full potential.
“I think the best is still yet to come from us,” says Leslie. “We’ve done really well so far, but I know that we have a special team and at any moment when it all comes together we can beat anyone. We’ve had moments of that throughout the season, but I still think we have more to give, for sure.”
Although the women’s team had a bumpy stretch in the middle of the season, as of press time they are on a four-game winning streak and have the possibility to extend it, as they face Langara College for their last two games.
“We’re excited, like I said, the opportunity is there for us to go and do something special at home in front of our families and friends,” says Leslie. “Our expectation is to win always, and we have been within six or seven points of beating the top two teams, so we know we can do it if everything comes together and goes our way on that night.”
At home, the men’s team have an 8-2 record and the women’s 6-4. Pippus says that the championships being at home could give the Chargers an advantage.
“I hope it’s not a pressure environment, I think it should be a lot of fun,” says Pippus. “I’m hoping that the community comes out and gives great support and the guys get a chance to play in an awesome supportive environment, and I think that is a huge advantage… It should be a lot of fun and we are really looking forward to it.”