Panthers' stifling defence behind shocking 90-72 upset of UBC

By Thomas Becker

Size was expected to be the deciding factor in Thursday's quarter-final matchup—but not in the way most people thought.

Labelled as the "smaller" team, the UPEI Panthers used their quickness, defensive pressure, and relentless energy to overwhelm the host UBC Thunderbirds in a stunning 90-72 upset. Their speed and tenacity disrupted UBC's rhythm all night, sending the Panthers to the U SPORTS Final 8 semifinals.

The defensive effort was nothing short of elite. UPEI forced 22 turnovers and turned them into 31 points while suffocating the nation's fourth-ranked offence to just 72 points—15 below its season average—on a mere 35.2 per cent shooting.

"This is who we have to be, especially against a team with this much length," said head coach Darrell Glenn. "We knew coming in that if we put pressure on them, we could create turnovers and get out in transition."

Fifth-year guard Kamari Scott, embracing the final days of his UPEI career, led the way with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding seven rebounds, three steals, and a block.

"We live and die by our defence," Scott said. "We communicated, stayed in the gaps, and locked in on their key guys."

Scott wasn't the only standout. Rookie point guard Hugo Bermejo had a career night, showcasing his immense potential with 19 points, nine rebounds, seven steals, and five assists.

Bermejo set the tone early, scoring four straight points following a Sam Chisholm corner three as UPEI stormed out to an 11-2 lead. However, UBC slowly chipped away at the deficit, eventually pulling even at 20-20 by the end of the first quarter.

The Panthers opened the second quarter with a 6-0 surge, fuelled by Daniel Gonzalez Longarela, who netted four points on a pair of layups to push UPEI ahead 26-20. Longarela delivered a well-rounded performance, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and a block.

With the shot clock winding down, Scott drilled a deep three to push the lead to 32-24. After another bucket from Scott, Kyree Thompson took over, scoring six straight to extend the advantage to 42-30. Thompson finished with 15 points as UPEI entered halftime up 47-33.

The third quarter was another masterclass in defence, as they completely stifled UBC's offence, holding them to just four points in the frame. Their relentless pressure widened the gap to 63-37, all but sealing the victory. Scott took over offensively, dropping nine points in the quarter to put the game out of reach.

"Kamari brings such a calmness to the team," Glenn said. "He's been through a lot—a national championship run, three AUS finals. He's a seasoned vet who believes we can overcome anything."

The fourth quarter turned messy for UPEI, as they allowed 35 points—by far their worst defensive stretch of the game. UBC's Adam Olsen caught fire, scoring 11 of his team-high 17 in the final frame, but the damage had already been done. The deficit was simply too large to overcome.

"I keep telling the guys to stay humble—we haven't won anything yet," Scott said. "We have bigger goals this weekend, and we're not satisfied."

Up next, UPEI takes on the Canada West champion Calgary Dinos, led by U SPORTS Player of the Year Nate Petrone. Tip-off is set for Friday at midnight (ADT).