Wildcats win sole possession GNAC title with dramatic comeback against Simon Fraser

BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA — The Central Washington University men’s basketball team defeated Simon Fraser University 73-70 on Saturday night at the West Gym on the CWU campus.  

This victory not only marked a big comeback for the Wildcats but also secured them sole possession of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season title and a first-round bye for the upcoming GNAC Tournament. 

“That was the first time our offensive rebounding has won us a game all year. Championship teams can beat teams in multiple ways,” CWU head coach Brandon Rinta said. “This team did that all season. Tonight, it needed to be on the offensive glass. It was not our best performance, but the leadership we showed was impressive. Everyone stayed positive the whole time.” 

Simon Fraser dominated the first half, launching a 21-5 run in the first 10 minutes. Although Central Washington struggled to find their rhythm early on, they managed to chip away at the deficit, closing the gap to 25-34 by halftime after a strong push late in the half. 

The Wildcats started the second half with a 16-10 run, which narrowed the Red Leafs' lead to three points just under 15 minutes into the half. However, Simon Fraser briefly extended their lead to 66-61.  

Central Washington seized control of the game when Garrett Anderson made a crucial layup, putting the Wildcats ahead for the first time at 59-58 with just over six minutes left. The Wildcats exhibited some resilience, scoring nine consecutive points to take a 70-66 advantage with only 26 seconds remaining.  

Simon Fraser responded with a layup to bring the score to 70-68, but Central Washington’s Cavin Holden made a pair of free throws to widen the gap to four points. Despite another Red Leafs layup cutting the score to 73-70, Central Washington secured the rebound off a missed three-point attempt as time expired. 

“Very proud of what these guys just did over an 18-game conference schedule,” Rinta said. “Winning the regular season is one of the hardest things to do in sports. You need to be so tough and consistent to beat teams that know you inside and out, home and away. Time to regroup for the Conference Tournament." 

Cavin Holden led the Wildcats with 21 points, while teammates Garrett Anderson, Maverick Sanders and Bradley Swillie contributed 17, 11, and 10 points, respectively. Anderson also excelled on the boards, recording nine rebounds, as Central Washington amassed a total of 39 rebounds, including 18 offensive boards. 

Irish Coquia was the leading scorer for Simon Fraser with 31 points. Teammates Luke Howard, Victor Bonsu and Matthys Van Bylandt contributed 12, 8, and 6 points, respectively.  

The Wildcats will advance to the GNAC Tournament, where they will face the winner of the Alaska Fairbanks-Seattle Pacific match March 6. The tip-off is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. at the Marcus Pavilion in Lacey. 

    Sophomore Bradley Swillie goes to score during the game against Simon Fraser University Saturday. Swillie scored 10 points during the game.