Welcome to the Chris Dyck show. That’s what the University of British Columbia-University of Calgary national semifinal game should have been advertised as. The fifth-year guard was simply sublime in UBC’s 79-74 triumph March 14th. He scored a game-high 34 points and hit nine of 10 free throws down the stretch to help sustain the Thunderbirds’ victory.

"You have big games in high school but this a whole nother level," Dyck said. “Last year, I played well in the consolation final, but that game doesn’t really matter much. So It’s nice to have a big game in a really meaningful game."

It was sweet redemption for the Thunderbirds, who were topped in the Canada West final by the Dino’s 80-76. Dyck missed four free throws down the strech in that game, but that wasn’t the case this evening. With UBC up 73-72 and under a minute left, Dyck drove to the bucket with four fouls and collided into Calgary star Henry Bekkering. The call could have gone either way, but Dyck got the benefit of the doubt and cashed in from the charity stripe. Calgary missed a three-pointer to tie the game up and UBC booked its place in the final Sunday.

"I thought it was incredible basketball game,” said UBC coach Kevin Hanson. "I wanted Chris to get a touch on every possession."

The game’s magnitude was apparent in the opening minutes as both teams coughed up the ball. Calgary attempted to get dunk legend Henry Bekkering involved early with alley-hoops but failed to convert twice. Dyck settled into the game quickly drilling two threes.

Tyler Fiddler responded for Calgary, drilling a three and a series of layups. The score was tied at 13 six minutes in.

UBC seemed reluctant to drive into the Calgary zone and were content to launch three pointers. Brent Malish benefitted from this strategy and scored eight straight points at the two-minute mark, including two threes. Calgary finished the quarter with buzzing beating lay-up from Fiddler to close the gap to 21-20.

It was nip and tuck in the second as neither team was able to open a lead of more than 5 point.

Dyck was divine for the Thunderbirds, dropping 17 in half displaying his silky-smooth game.

There was nothing comforting about Henry Bekkering’s violent alley-oop that got everyone at Scotiabank Place out of their seats. But the exploits of both team stars just brought UBC a modest 45-42 lead.

Dyck picked up where he left off in the third, drilling a three that paced the Thunderbirds on a 7-2 run. Fiddler responded with four points to pull Calgary to within four at 52-48 with six minutes to go in the quarter.

But UBC closed the quarter on a 9-2 run led by, who else, Dyck. He hit a pair of lay-ups to pace the Thunderbirds’ attacks and a 61-50 lead at the end of the third.

With Calgary’s season on the line, Fiddler wasn’t about to roll over and die. He blocked Dyck, then hit a fade-away baseline three to spark the Dinos. He chipped away the 11 point deficit down to eight at 67-59 with 5 minutes to go.

Ross Bekkering brought the score to within six with a pair of free throws. But UBC’s Matt Rachar nailed an and-one to quell the Dinos rally and restablish a nine-point lead.

The pesky Dinos pulled to within three on a trey by Robbie Sihota at 71-68. Dyck hit a pair of free throws but Ross Bekkering had a thunderous slam followed by brother Henry nailing a pull-up in the lane to bring the lead down to 73-72 UBC with a minute to go. The stage had been set for Dyck, who nailed two from the foul line to secure the win. The Thunderbirds will face off against top-ranked Carleton Sunday for the title.