The Canada West final four is set and this weekend’s divisional finals really just confirmed what we believed all along:Brandon, Calgary, UBC and Alberta are your four teams that will bid for the conference’s two berths (and possibly a wild card) into next month’s national championship tournament in Ottawa. Let’s recap the weekend that was and re-visit the picks of Swatter and Larks:

GREAT PLAINS DIVISION

#2 Regina at #1 Brandon

The most important player in the series will be (And why):
Sawatzky: “Ultimately, I’m picking Yul Michel. … The second most important player will be Regina’s Jeff Lukomski.”
Larkins: “Brandon’s Yuri Whyms or — conversely — Regina’s Jamal Williams.”

The Verdict: Lukomski struggled shooting the ball, again, but he was excellent at creating for other players in Game 1. Michel, the fifth-year point guard, played with a chip on his shoulder on Saturday and Sunday, including a 12-point, nine-assist and seven-steal effort in Game 3. But the most consistent player on the floor was Whyms. He averaged a double-double, shot 66 per cent from the field and the Regina big men did very little in the way of keeping him from getting position.

Brandon will win because:
Sawatzky: The Bobcats have won 10 straight against the Cougars, the Brandon faithful will be out for blood, and a trio of ‘Cats are playing their final games at the BU Gym… all of it adds up to a sweep.
Larkins: There really has been something going on with Brandon on home floor. The Bobcats have won games by blowouts, by getting ahead big and then hanging on, and by grasping victory from games that look like sure losses. It’s arguably the best home-court advantage in the conference and that’s why they win.

The Verdict: The BU Gym was a nuthouse for much of the weekend but, in the end, you just have to say the better team won and leave it at that.

Final prediction (in games):
Sawatzky: Brandon in two.
Larkins: Brandon in three.

The Verdict: Larkins knocked this out of the park. Was there ever any doubt?

CENTRAL DIVISION

#2 Alberta at #1 Calgary

The most important player in the series will be (And why):
Sawatzky: All year long, people have mocked Larkins and me for giving lots of love to the Bekkerings. You people are idiots. That said, I’m picking Alberta’s C.G. Morrison.
Larkins: Alberta’s Richard Bates.

The Verdict: Morrison went for 13 and 21 in those two games and knocked down six threes. Bates, was invisible on Friday and made a brief appearance to the tune of 11 points on Saturday. In the end, it was the Bekkerings after all: Henry and Ross both had dub-dubs in Saturday’s blowout and Henry finished with 29 ppg and 10.5 rpg for the weekend.

Calgary will win because:
Sawatzky: The Bekkerings are good dunkers.
Larkins: They’re at home and we need not remind you that they’ve pumped U of A twice on that floor (95-74, 98-73).

The Verdict: Some 2,500 people packed the Jack and Alberta once again came away with a 0 on its trip to Cowtown. Henry Bekkering had a couple of dirty windmill dunks in transition on Saturday. Call it a push.

Final prediction (in games):
Sawatzky: My gut tells me Alberta gets the job done. U of A in three.
Larkins: Calgary in two.

The Verdict: Back-back-back-back-back-back-back annnnnnnnddddd GONE. Larkins another round-tripper. Touch ‘em all Larks, you’ll never make a bigger prediction in your life.

PACIFIC DIVISION

#2 Victoria at #1 UBC

The most important player in the series will be (And why):
Sawatzky: Blaine LaBranche knows how to get the job done.
Larkins: I’m cheating here and saying a thing rather than a person. The Vikes D is the most important thing in this series.

The Verdict: Push. LaBranche has been a nice addition off the bench but he was relatively quiet this weekend. Ten points on Friday followed by five on Saturday. Meanwhile, Vic’s defence gave the Vikes a chance in Game 1 but surrendered 87 points in Game 2.

UBC will win because:
Sawatzky: I just said… Blaine LaBranche knows how to get the job done.
Larkins: There’s more weapons and they can fill it up, not what Victoria wants to see.

The Verdict: UBC went on late runs and owned the Vikes in the fourth quarters.

Final prediction (in games):
Sawatzky: UBC in three.
Larkins: UBC in three.

The Verdict: Call this one an infield single.