Above: Mariners celebrate championship win. ???? Vancouver Sports Pictures

By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler

For the third consecutive year, the Mariners Men’s team has won gold at the PACWEST provincial championships.

“Last night may have been the most special one,” Assistant Coach Avneet Brar said. “We have 10 new guys on our team this year that weren’t there last year, so to have that kind of success with a team is a real testament to how hard the guys have worked.”

In the gold medal match, the Mariners defeated the Capilano Blues 94-77. Usama Zaid paved the way toward victory, scoring 24 points in the matchup, which got him named tournament MVP. The Mariners battled back to overcome Capilano in the second half, outscoring them 32-16 in the third quarter.

“It was exciting to see the emotions of all the players on different levels,” Coach Brar said. “We have guys that are normally laid back, quiet guys who were cheering, and really excited. We also had guys that are pretty ramped up guys who calmed down a bit to maintain their composure. I think it was good for us to be battle tested in that way.”

The Mariners will go on to play at the CCAA National Championships at Hollande University in Prince Edward Island. The tournament takes place from March 15–18.

The women won in the bronze medal match over the Camosun Chargers. The Mariners won 79-57 over their Island rivals. The Mariners had the match well in hand, they led for the entirety of the match. Mariner Sienna Pollard was named the player of the game for the Mariners.

  To follow the Mariners on their quest for national gold, follow them online at gomariners.ca, or visit ccaa.ca, for comprehensive stats, results, and live streams of the tournament games. Make sure to follow both the Mariners and the CCAA on twitter at , twitter.com/VIUMariners, and twitter.com/CCAAsportsACSC so you don’t miss a second of the action.

Cole is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in creative writing, minoring in political science. He has an interest in all things exciting, mundane, or otherwise. He hopes to one day become an author, actor, comedian, editor, and rapper, while moonlighting as an astronaut.