MBB: New champion to be crowned this weekend

Brian Swane, special to CW

A new champion will be crowned when the University of Alberta hosts the Canada West Men’s Basketball Final Four this weekend at the Saville Community Sports Centre in Edmonton.

The host Golden Bears take on the Saskatchewan Huskies at 6 p.m. MST and the Regina Cougars square with the Victoria Vikes at 8 p.m. MST in semi-final action on Friday. The semi-final winners then meet for gold at 8 p.m. on Saturday, following the bronze medal game which tips off at 6 p.m.

Saskatchewan’s quarterfinal victory over the 2020 champion UBC Thunderbirds two weeks ago, in what has been rightly called an instant classic, ensured that the Stan Broder Trophy will be in someone else’s possession for the next 12 months.

Alberta most recently won the Canada West championship in 2017; Victoria won its record 15th conference title in 2015; Saskatchewan’s only championship victory came in 2010; and Regina is yet to capture its first men’s basketball title.

While the defending champs aren’t involved in the 2022 men’s basketball Canada West Final Four, the field is stacked, including the first place team from every division in the regular season. All four semi-finalists are ranked in the U Sports Top 10, led by Alberta at No. 2. 

The most recent Canada West championship final, in February, 2020, also took place at the Saville Community Sports Centre, and came down to the last possession before the T-Birds escaped with a 72-70 victory over Alberta.

Catch all the action streaming live on CWTV presented by Co-op. 

Alberta Golden Bears

(16-0 regular season, 1-0 playoffs)

How They Got Here: defeated Winnipeg 103-59 in Canada West quarterfinal

Player to Watch: Fifth-year guard Tyus Jefferson Jefferson (CW Player of the Year, CW Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Star; 14.6 ppg. 4.4 rpg, 3.9 apg)

Key Stat: Including regular season and playoffs, Alberta has won 33 of its last 34 games in Canada West, with the lone loss during ​ that stretch coming by just two points to UBC in the 2020 championship final.

Regina Cougars

(12-4 regular season, 1-0 playoffs)

How They Got Here: defeated Trinity Western 105-81 in Canada West quarterfinal

Player to Watch: Fifth-year guard Ben Hillis (Canada West First Team All-Star; 13.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.6 apg)

Key Stat: Regina’s regular season win percentage of .750 was second best in program history, behind only .800 in 2005-06, which was the last time the Cougars advanced to the Canada West semi-final.

Saskatchewan Huskies

(11-5 regular season, 2-0 playoffs)

How They Got Here: defeated UBC 87-88 in Canada West quarterfinal

Player to Watch: Third-year guard Marquavian Stephens (Canada West Second Team All-Star; 19.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 apg)

Key Stat: The Huskies have made at least 12 three-pointers in each of their playoff games, after not making more than 12 three-pointers in any one of their 16 regular season games.

Victoria Vikes

(17-1 regular season, 1-0 playoffs)

How They Got Here: defeated Lethbridge 79-55 in Canada West quarterfinal

Player to Watch: Fifth-year guard Scott Kellum (Canada West First-Team All-Star; 15.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.4 apg)

Key Stat: Victoria ranked first in points scored per game (92.3), averaged the second fewest points against (71.2), and had the largest scoring margin (+21.1) in Canada West during the season.

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