UBC's Nikola Guzina drives to the basket against the Trinity Western Spartans in Canada West action Nov. 3 at War Memorial Gymnasium. After losing the 2023-24 season to a brain injury, the 6-foot-10 standout is playing a huge role in UBC's drive to the Final 8 national championships this March. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics 2024. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

Bright lights, brighter future: After losing last season to concussion, ‘Birds 6-foot-10 standout Nikola Guzina can see clearly now as UBC gears up to host 2025 U SPORTS Final 8 nationals!

VANCOUVER — Nikola Guzina’s basketball dream had always been to play under the bright lights at UBC’s hallowed War Memorial GymnasiumAnd coming off an amazing two-season stretch at nearby King George Secondary School, where over his Grade 11 and 12 seasons combined (2018-20) he averaged an NBA 2K-like 30.7 points, 14.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists […]

Trinity Western's David Mutabazi (right) dribbled past Ajay Mitchell of Santa Barbara on Tuesday at the Langley Events Centre as the Canada West's Spartans played host to the visiting, NCAA Div. 1 Gauchos. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters. com. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball University Men's Basketball

A SUNDAY READ: Tsumura on the joys of summertime basketball, NCAA Div. 1 foreign tours, and the road-less-travelled path of Trinity Western’s electric David Mutabazi!

LANGLEY — The best part of ageing into an ‘old’ basketball writer?For me, it’s that rare but reassured feeling I get, when against any reasonable expectation, a player straps the fortunes of his team on his back, and in this case almost carries them to an improbable upset.That is the place I found myself this […]

Last season, in his team's upset win over the UBC Thunderbirds at Envision Athletic Centre, Fraser Valley Cascades' guard Vick Toor led the way with 19 points. In an uncertain 2020-21 season, he is being looked upon as one of the team's foundational players. (Photo by Dan Kinvig property of University of the Fraser Valley athletics 2020. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UFV’s Toor de Force! With his deep cache of skills rising to the fore, Cascades’ guard Vick Toor is an anchor in these uncertain times

ABBOTSFORD — His game has always been built around such a diverse package of skills that perhaps it’s taken all of us these past three seasons to appreciate the true depth of his talents.Yet if the practice sessions which have just now begun wind up leading to some semblance of a men’s basketball season in […]

Trinity Western's fourth-year transfer Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath has brought his Texas-sized smile, heart and skill-package north to Langley from the Lone Star State. He's currently the leading scorer in all of U Sports men's basketball. (Photo by Scott Stewart property of Trinity Western athletics 2020. All Rights Reserved
Feature University Men's Basketball

Trinity Western’s Ja’Qualyn Gilbreath: For a rebuilding Spartans’ program, the man they call ‘Q’ has arrived on cue to lead U Sports’ hoops in scoring

LANGLEY — He’s the guy they all call Q, which in an unintentional way is actually quite fitting because once you watch him play for the first time, all you have are questions, questions, questions.

Although they have made two Final 8 national tourney appearances since, UBC Thunderbirds' head coach Kevin Hanson has his team at the event's traditional Halifax site for the first time since it lost in the semifinals back in 2011. It's a first-time trip for star guard Jadon Cohee. (Photo by Bob Frid property of UBC athletics 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

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.

Manroop Clair (right) of the UBC Thunderbirds has always been known for his ability to hoist. Now, however, his foes have to tend to an equally dangerous floor game. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

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.

UFV's redshirt senior forward Navjot Bains has become a player of influence for the vastly-improved Cascades. (Photo by Dan Kinvig property of University of the Fraser Valley athletics 2018. All Rights Reserved)
Feature University Men's Basketball

Navjot Bains: How Fraser Valley’s battle-scarred senior has helped lift his Cascades with the gifts of grit and presence

ABBOTSFORD — A season ago, Navjot Bains was unable to get around without a limp, and when push actually came to shove, he wasn’t physically able to lead a young Fraser Valley Cascades team through the rigours of a Canada West conference campaign.

Gritty Isaiah Solomon (left), pictured during his 2012-13 rookie season, is hoping to make a return to the UBC men's basketball roster after an extended absence. (File photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.com)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC men’s basketball: Asian international the newest ‘Bird, an Isaiah spotting, Shook joins coaching staff

VANCOUVER — The UBC Thunderbirds men’s basketball team may have had its highly-anticipated clash with NCAA Div. 1 UC Santa Barbara, scheduled for Friday at War Gym, cancelled by the visitors concerns with local air quality. That doesn’t mean, however, that in the dead of summer, there was any lack of news emanating from head coach […]

In an offseason where he whet his international coaching appetite again and brought in two of the biggest transfer in program history, UBC head coach Kevin Hanson has made a statement that nothing will remain static heading into the 2018-19 season. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC men’s basketball notebook: Luka’s official farewell tonight, offensive systems get tune-up, ass’t coaching hunt begins

VANCOUVER — In the lead-up to tonight’s men’s basketball friendly at War Memorial Gymnasium between the UBC Thunderbirds and Team China (7 p.m., $5 tickets), we clean up a busy week of news surrounding the local team with a Varsity Letters’ notebook.

UBC's latest recruit, rising fourth-year point guard Jadon Cohee has big goals for both himself and the Thunderbirds' basketball program. (Photo by Richard Lam property of UBC athletics)