LANGLEY — There’s a sense deja vu filtering through the airwaves this week around the province of B.C. with return of Varsity Letters-The Podcast. Long a weekly staple during my years at The Vancouver Province, we’re back for the first time since 2016, right here at our new home at VarsityLetters.ca This week, we’re honoured […]
Tag: Kevin Hanson
UBC hoops back in Halifax! On long journey to Final 8 nationals, here’s why you can stamp these underdog ‘Birds as ‘battle-tested’
VANCOUVER — Over the course of a 17-game in-conference win streak which defined its Canada West regular season schedule, it was sometimes difficult to wonder if the UBC Thunderbirds were getting the level of competition which would best serve them on the road towards qualifying for the ultimate challenge.
UBC protects paint, leans on Bourcier late to extract a pure-guts road win over Alberta in conference semifinal opener
The UBC Thunderbirds knew they needed a hot start on the offensive end and a courageous one on the defensive end if they were going to give themselves any chance at coming out Edmonton this weekend with a berth to the Canada West championship final next March 2 in Calgary against the host Dinos, and […]
The Jordan-esque Manroop Clair! UBC shooting star skips morning shoot around, saves energy for series-clinching win over UFV
VANCOUVER — By his own admission, Manroop Clair is still not back in game shape.Yet the UBC Thunderbirds’ dead-eye shooting guard is so dangerous that even without his legs fully under him, he’s still capable of being a difference maker.On Saturday, still reeling from having played back-to-back games the previous two nights in its Canada […]
After playing “…one of the worst games of my career” UBC’s Jadon Cohee flips the script Friday as ‘Birds stay alive with win over UFV
VANCOUVER — Jadon Cohee has had some great days playing basketball in his home province of B.C.Like scoring 22 points and being picked tournament MVP in leading the Walnut Grove Gators to the B.C. senior boys Triple A championship in March of 2013.Or later that summer, picking up the phone to take a call from […]
UBC-UFV quarterfinals: ‘Birds bye week helps wounded guards Clair, Bourcier bring their best 60 minutes to War on Thursday
VANCOUVER — Like your favourite TV drama, Manroop Clair and Mason Bourcier are easily the equivalent of a solid hour’s worth of entertainment for UBC Thunderbirds’ men’s basketball fans.
UBC’s Jessica Hanson: On eve of playoff opener vs. Wesmen, coach Huband says of ‘Birds veteran “…she’ll always err on the side of leadership”
VANCOUVER — Be a scorer. Be a facilitator. Be a lock-down defender. Accepting the task of wearing those three hats on the basketball court at the same time starts you on the road to becoming a complete player.
The long journey of UBC’s Patrick Simon: Says ‘Birds coach Hanson “…now he’s a fifth-year man-child”
VANCOUVER — If the talent evaluators were never fully sure how to project what kind of talent Patrick Simon was going to become coming out of PoCo’s tiny Archbishop Carney back in the spring of 2013, the answer was pretty evident Friday night at War Memorial Gymnasium.“You’re seeing him out there in his fifth year […]
Twenty years later, UCFV’s pioneering basketball champs come home for enshrinement in Cascades Hall of Fame
ABBOTSFORD — Two decades ago, they were a team without a place to call their basketball home.
The flair of UBC’s Manroop Clair: More than just a deep threat, new freedom give ‘Birds veteran guard room to prosper
VANCOUVER — Manroop Clair doesn’t care if his reputation precedes him, because let’s face it, the UBC Thunderbirds’ fourth-year transfer guard has always embraced the fact that he is known to all as a shooter’s shooter.