Spartans rally in second half to knock off men's basketball
The UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team fell to the Trinity Western Spartans, 98-87, on Friday at the Langley Events Centre.
Jalen Shirley led the Heat with 19 points, showcasing his shooting range by hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He also contributed 5 assists and 6 rebounds. Gavin Ashworth was the top scorer with 21 points, connecting on four three-pointers while Lamine Conde added 15 points. Jas Dhudwal led the team in rebounds, securing a double-double performance with 11 boards, including seven offensive rebounds, while also scoring 10 points.
David Mutabazi led the way for the hosts with an impressive 28 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals, making a significant impact on both ends of the floor. Josh Belvin also excelled, scoring 24 points on 71.4 percent shooting from the field.
The Heat concluded the first quarter with a 32-21 advantage over the Spartans. UBCO's offence was efficient, making 13 of 26 baskets, including four of ten from beyond the arc. The Heat capitalized on turnovers, scoring six points off turnovers and dominating fast-break opportunities with eight points. They also controlled the paint with 16 points and secured seven offensive rebounds, contributing to their 16 total rebounds. Meanwhile, TWU shot 8-of-20 from the field and struggled to keep pace with the Heat's fast-paced attack.
In the second quarter, the Heat made nine of 23 shots, including four from beyond the arc, and recorded seven assists. Despite not attempting any free throws, UBCO was effective in the paint with 10 points and received strong contributions from the bench, which added 10 points. The performance allowed the team to take a nine-point lead, 54-45, into the break
The second half was a different story as the Spartans outscored the visiting Heat 25-18 in the third quarter to cut UBCO's lead to just two. The Heat struggled with turnovers, committing nine compared to the Spartans' two. Despite shooting 50 percent from the free-throw line, TWU maintained a strong presence in the paint with ten points.
The Spartans maintained their momentum into the fourth quarter, capitalizing on their dominance in the paint with 22 points compared to UBCO's four. Despite scoring 10 points off second-chance opportunities, the Heat were unable to overcome the Spartans' balanced attack, which included eight points from the bench and six fast-break points.
With the loss, UBCO drops to 4-9 on the season while the Spartans get back to .500, sitting with a 7-7 record.
The Heat will wrap up their road trip on Saturday when they take on the U SPORTS No. 1-ranked Victoria Vikes on the road. Game time is set for 4 p.m. and the action can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv.
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Well-rounded team effort leads women's basketball to big win over Trinity Western
The UBC Okanagan Heat women's basketball team secured a decisive victory over the Trinity Western Spartans on Thursday night with a final score of 78-50 at the Langley Events Centre. This victory marked the largest win of the year for the Heat, with every player dressed scoring.
Tsuki Tsuzuki stood out on the night for UBCO with 12 points, while also contributing seven assists and four steals, showcasing her all-around impact on the game. Lily Pink was another key contributor, scoring a team-high 15 points, including three successful three-pointers, and securing eight rebounds. Notably, Pink scored 12 of her 15 points in the opening half.
Tennyson McCarthy dominated the boards with a career-high 10 rebounds, alongside seven points and two steals while Kelsey Falk was effective defensively with two blocks, and she added 12 points to the scoreboard.
Colette Van der Hoven led the Spartans in scoring with 13 points, shooting 62.5 percent from the field, including a perfect three-point shooting performance.
In the first quarter, the Heat women's team established an early lead, starting with Abby Smith opening the scoring a minute in. Tsuki Tsuzuki contributed to the offensive drive with a layup at 6:30, following a steal from Lauren Foullong. Pink and McCarthy strengthened the lead with multiple rebounds and successful layups, culminating in a score of 28-15 in favor of the Heat by the end of the quarter. The strong first quarter was a result of a solid press maintained throughout the game, setting the tone for the Heat's dominance.
The second quarter saw UBCO outscore the Spartans 18-5, highlighted by strong defensive efforts and effective scoring. UBCO's Tsuzuki had notable contributions, scoring a layup at 8:12 and later capitalizing on a fast-break opportunity with another layup at 1:59. Falk contributed with a jumper and two successful free throws, while Pink hit two three-pointers to extend the lead. UBCO's defence was pivotal, forcing multiple turnovers and limiting the Spartans to just one field goal in the quarter. By halftime, the score was a commanding 46-20.
In the third quarter, Tsuzuki continued her strong game with a layup early on, bringing the score to 48-23. Kiana Kaczur was consistent from the free-throw line, making two consecutive free throws at the 5:30 mark to extend the lead to 50-30. Aiko Williams hit a crucial three-pointer assisted by Tsuzuki to further push the score to 60-41, maintaining a strong performance for the team.
The fourth quarter saw UBCO secure their win with a strong offensive performance. Tsuzuki opened the scoring with a layup, and Kaczur contributed significantly with both a layup and a three-pointer, the latter at 3:30, extending the lead to 74-46. Lily Pink added a three-pointer at the 2:15 mark. Defensively, Falk recorded a steal, and the team capitalized on multiple turnovers by the Spartans, with McCarthy's defensive rebound helping maintain control. UBCO's efficient scoring and strategic plays in this quarter underscored their dominance.
With the win, the Heat move into the fifth and final playoff spot in the Canada West Pacific division as they now sit with a 4-9 record. Meanwhile, the Spartans suffer just their second loss in their last eight game, dropping to 8-6 on the season.
The Heat will wrap up their season-long four-game road trip on Saturday afternoon when they take on the Victoria Vikes in Victoria. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and fans can catch the action live on CanadaWest.tv