GRADE-POINT ANECDOTES: Former Bobcat Befus relishes sweep of old team
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/01/2024 (674 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
It suddenly felt weird for Hans Befus to warm up on the end he’s been on every home game this season.
The former Brandon University Bobcat faced his old team for the first time on Friday.
“It kind of felt surreal at first,” said the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades guard.
Fraser Valley Cascades guard Hans Befus drives against Khari Ojeda-Harvey and the Brandon University Bobcats, who he spent three years with, on Friday in Abbotsford, B.C. Befus transferred last year, then helped the Cascades to a weekend sweep of the surging Bobcats. (Jordie Arthur/Cascades Athletics)
“Getting in the game, getting to match up with some of them, they know my moves, I know their moves. Seeing how our games have changed and getting to compete against each other again, it honestly meant the world to me.”
Befus came off the bench to score 18 points in a season-high 19 minutes, helping the Cascades to a 101-92 victory. He struggled the following night, but UFV (6-10) gutted out an 86-81 win over Brandon (12-6), taking a two-game lead for the last Canada West men’s basketball playoff spot.
“Wish I could have done it both nights, but at the end of the day, the first night was really good. I was glad I could come off the bench and help the guys,” Befus said.
“We have a lot of pieces on our team so it was nice to see everyone pitch in and eventually get the two wins.”
The six-foot guard from Edmonton was expected to start his university career as a redshirt at BU in 2019, but when a few reasons led to a dip in available players for coach Gil Cheung, Befus sprung into action and averaged 15.1 minutes per game as a rookie.
His minutes dipped to 11 per game with a stronger Bobcat roster coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021-22.
Seeing the writing on the wall, Befus looked for a bigger role elsewhere and transferred to UFV, where he switched from physical education to a bachelor of arts, majoring in history. He’s set to graduate next spring and enter an education program after that.
Per U Sports rules, the move meant he had to sit out in 2022-23, which had its ups and downs.
“Not fun when it comes to Friday and Saturday night when you have to sit out or when the team goes on the road and you’re home for a four-day stretch,” Befus admitted.
“I think the redshirt year really gave me that chance to understand what kind of things I did wrong in Brandon that I wanted to do differently at UFV.
“We have a really good strength coach, Matt Chapdelaine. He put me on some plans and that really kept me focused. Coach Joe (Enevoldson) did a really good job of defining my role and setting down the guidelines of what he needed me to do in that redshirt year, which was come in and challenge the guys in practice, be a vocal leader and be there for the younger guys, too.”
When Befus finally was given an opportunity to play on home court, he came out firing for a career-high 27 points in just 18 minutes, making nine of 13 field goals in a loss to the defending conference champion Victoria Vikes.
He’s playing similar minutes to his Brandon days, but is twice as involved in the offence, averaging 5.8 points per game.
Befus cares a whole lot more about team wins than individual success, so he wasn’t happy after his big night and his team collectively hasn’t been thrilled with its play.
Befus said the team had some good, tough conversations after falling to 4-10 and is confident what happened last weekend is going to be the norm, not the exception.
After all, he’s seen a tough stretch like this before — but worse. His rookie season in Brandon started 1-13 before rattling off five straight wins to clinch a playoff spot.
“After the game on Saturday I was like, ‘man, this feeling is awfully familiar. It’s feeling a little too familiar,’” Befus chuckled, knowing he has doubleheaders against Mount Royal and Trinity Western left to repeat the feat and return to the post-season.
“If that does happen for us, then I’m really glad for it.”
FREE THROWS: The BU basketball teams round out the regular season at Victoria this weekend, since they have a bye on the Feb. 9-10 weekend.
In volleyball, the Bobcats host Mount Royal this Friday and Saturday, then Thompson Rivers the following weekend before flying to UBC for the season finale.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com