U Sports Basketball: Dinos, Vikes to play for men’s title

Nate Petrone led the way with 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Calgary Dinos thumped the UPEI Panthers 87-54 on Friday in U Sports men’s basketball Final 8 semifinal action.

Petrone, the U Sports Player of the Year, also had five steals in 36 minutes of action as the second-seeded Dinos are set to make their first title game apperance since 2019 on Sunday.

The Dinos, who will next face the Victoria Vikes, won their lone national title in 2018.

Kyree Thompson scored a team-high 16 points for the sixth-seeded Panthers, who upset host UBC 90-72 on Thursday to advance to the semifinals. UPEI will meet Ottawa in the bronze-medal game on Sunday.

Earlier, the Vikes earned a spot in Sunday’s title game with a 89-75 win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

Geoffrey James had a team-high 21 points off the bench for the fourth-seeded Vikes. Shadynn Smid had 18 points and eight rebounds, with Sam Maillet contributing 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Jacques-Melaine Guemeta scored a team-high 24 points for the top-seeded Gee-Gees, who had four of five starters all score in double figures.

Victoria, which earned bronze in the Canada West playoffs, now finds itself in its first final appearance since 2006. The Vikes had won the previous three Canada West titles but failed to make the title game in the Final 8.

The Concordia Stingers defeated the Bishop’s Gaiters 81-66 in the first consolation game, while the UBC Thunderbirds topped the Queen’s Gaels 107-98 in the other.

In women’s action, the Alberta Pandas bested the Saint Mary’s Huskies 68-61 in their consolation game. The Laval Rouge Et Or edged the Bishop’s Gaiters 63-61 in the other consolation matchup.

The women’s semifinals are set for Saturday, with the top-seeded Saskatchewan Huskies taking on the No. 5 UBC Thunderbirds and the defending champion Carleton Ravens facing the second-seeded Ottawa Gee-Gees.