Dinos claim ninth Canada West title
By Maggie Hsu, with files from Dinos Communications, March 9 2025—
The University of Calgary Dinos are the kings of the West for the ninth time in program history.
Powered by Canada West Player of the Year and First-Team All-Star Nate Petrone’s record-breaking 38-point performance — the most by a Dino in a postseason game — Calgary delivered an offensive masterclass to defeat the UBC Thunderbirds 109-96 in the Canada West Final on Friday night at War Memorial Gym in Vancouver, BC.
“I wanted to be a champion,” said Petrone post-game. “This is my fourth year of eligibility but I’ve been in this league for six years, and I hadn’t won anything. I wasn’t going to go away without a gold medal.” Petrone added 10 assists during the game to record a double-double.
The Dinos set the tempo of the game early on with Petrone blazing through the gates from opening tip-off, going a perfect 8-for-8 from field goal range in the first quarter to quickly rack up 19 points, lifting his team to a 34-24 lead after the opening frame.
Calgary was absolutely relentless from that moment on, despite UBC continuing to push back. The Thunderbirds managed to cut the point differential to four in the second quarter with an impressive shooting showcase however, the Dinos’ backcourt would continue to stand strong throughout the game, forcing many of their opponents’ shots outside, rarely allowing them to step into the paint.
Taking a 59-52 lead into halftime, the Dinos would not sit back and aim to finish the game strongly. The Thunderbirds made multiple attempts to energize the hometown crowd early in the third, but Calgary’s offensive efficiency would continue to pepper the U SPORTS Championship hosts. The Dinos extended their lead back to double digits with valuable baskets from Declan Peterson and Third-Team All-Star Noah Wharton.
“He makes shots really difficult,” said head coach Dan Vanhooren, praising Peterson’s defensive domination throughout the playoffs. “His size and length of protecting the rim has helped us and he’s giving us a lot of offense in the last three games.”
UBC’s final push came in the fourth quarter as they once again managed to close the Dinos’ lead to just four points at 95-91 with just over seven minutes on the clock and plenty of opportunties to overtake their opponents. But Calgary responded quickly, shutting down the T-birds with a 14-5 run to secure the game and the Canada West Championship.
“It’s a heck of a lot better than cake or presents or anything,” said Vanhooren, who was celebrating his birthday and his sixth Canada West title. “This is a gift — just watching these kids celebrate and achieve what they’re capable of … Between Nate and Noah, we were so tough to guard. I just sat there in awe.”
While Wharton, Petrone and Peterson were powerhouses of the game, Wharton contributed both offensively and defensively, finishing the game with 22 points, five rebounds and five steals. Peterson was perfect from the field, going 7-for-7 to drop 16 points, adding nine rebounds and three blocks.
“Six years of hard work finally paid off — it feels great,” Wharton said post-game. “We locked in defensively from the quarterfinals to now; we’ve been locked in and it paid off today.”
Vanhooren highlighted the team’s true strength as their bond that has been created off the court with the win being a testament to the work they’ve put in to come together and build a culture that not only highlights individual achievements but winning as a unit.
With the Canada West crown secured, the Dinos now set their sights on the ultimate prize—the national title. Their dominant performance against UBC not only solidifies their status as the top team in the West but also positions them as serious contenders for the INDOCHINO U SPORTS Final 8. As they return to War Memorial Gym next week, Calgary will look to carry this momentum onto the national stage, aiming to turn their conference championship into a storybook finish to the season.