The VIU Mariners men's basketball team is set for their final home floor tune up for the 2022-23 PACWEST season. The reigning provincial champions will host Unknown International B.C. in preseason play Oct. 14 and 15.  (Matt Carter)

By Dan Marshall

Getting Rolling

Exhibition season underway for VIU Mariners men’s basketball team

Oct 14, 2022 | 3:21 PM

NANAIMO — The defending PACWEST men’s champions are getting ready for a new season of Mariners basketball.

VIU has been training since early September and now the team is fully into its preseason schedule. The team will welcome a touring group of semi-pro players called Unknown International B.C. for an exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and a scrimmage at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

VIU coach Matt Kuzminski said the outlook is strong for his club.

“Guys have worked really hard. We’ve been with each other for about five weeks and we’re really excited to get playing other teams on a regular basis. I think we’ll have a chance to compete for a national championship.”

Opening night is Nov. 4 for the season but the Mariners won’t have their first regular season home game until Nov. 18 versus Douglas College.

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Kuzminski said VIU has an excellent core of veteran players.

“We have a good crop of returning players and three seniors in Tori Odom, Richard Henderson and we bring back Landon Radliff. Some of our guys who have been around are ready to step up and take on a bigger role and show their improvement.”

After winning the PACWEST title in March the Mariners had a fourth-place showing at CCAA nationals.

The end goal is a national title in 2023 but Kuzminski said the group doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about it.

“We really spend a lot of time talking about our habits, our systems and our standards for performance. How we operate day in and day out is the focus. We know by investing in those little things on a daily basis the score takes care of itself.”

Admission for the exhibition and scrimmage games at the VIU gym is $10 for adults and $5 for youth.

Members of the Island Swish youth basketball program will get in for free if they are wearing their team jerseys.

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