National Men's Basketball CHAMPIONS!

Incredible three days of competition and the Mariners come away with the ultimate prize ...

March 18, 2019

Mariners are GOLDEN Again!

Gold Medal Match: VIU Mariners 85, Sheridan Bruins 82

In their first two games at the CCAA Men's Basketball National Championship at Langley Events Centre, the PACWEST champion Mariners needed to rally from double-digit deficits to secure victories in the quarter-finals and semifinals. When the team went up 15 points on the OCAA champion Sheridan Bruins (Oakville, ON), it was a different feeling for the Mariners, especially when their opponent was the one erasing the deficit.

With the score tied at 67 with 7:30 remaining in Saturday's championship final, VIU had just enough down the stretch, prevailing 85-82 to claim their second CCAA National Championship.

The Bruins trailed for much of the game, scoring the first two points and then playing catch-up until the end of third quarter when they went up 63-57 with 10 minutes remaining. The Mariners then appeared more comfortable, as they outscored Sheridan 10-4 over the first 2:30 of the fourth quarter, taking control down the stretch.

Harry Fayle scored 12 of his team-high 25 points and Landon Radliff had 10 of his 17 in the fourth quarter alone and Cameron Gay added 15. Radliff also finished with six assists and four steals while Gay added five rebounds and five assists. The trio also combined to hit 11 three-pointers. Jerod Derby chipped in 11 points to go along with his nine rebounds and Brett Christensen came off the bench for six points and four assists.

For the Mariners, the win adds to their recent CCAA succes, including a National Championship in 2013and silver medals in 2015, all with Kuzminski at the helm.

For the Championship game, Fayle and Bakari-Whyte were their team's respective winners of the 4 Imprint Player of the Game Awards.

VIU also won the Duncan McCallum Exemplary Leadership Award and Landon Radliff picked up Most Valuable Player honours.

MVP went to Landon Radliff

The First Team All-Stars Cameron Gay (VIU) and Harry Fayle (VIU).

Feature on CHEK TV