ABBOTSFORD, B.C. - An early scoring onslaught from the UFV Cascades propelled the hosting squad to an 83-80 victory over the UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team on Friday night. Despite the Heat's determined battle back in the second half to rally from a 20-point deficit, they came up just short in their matchup against the Cascades.
Entering the game with strong momentum, both teams were evenly matched in the first quarter, but the Heat lost traction when the Cascades started consistently scoring from beyond the arc.
In the second half, the Heat initiated their comeback, consistently challenging the Cascades. As the game reached its final minutes, the Cascades clung to a narrow lead, and despite multiple opportunities to pull even in the final minute, UBCO was unable to draw even.
UBCO was led offensively on the night by
Jalen Shirley of Brampton, Ont., and
Gavin Ashworth of Grand Prairie, Alta., who finished with 20 and 19 points respectively.
Elan Kimpton-Cuellar (Roberts Creek, B.C.) and
Leon Schenker (Vernon, B.C.), also reached double figures with 14 and 13 points.
TOP PERFORMERSÂ
Jas Dhudwal – UBCO
The fourth-year forward from Surrey, B.C., showcased an impressive performance tonight, securing 12 defensive rebounds and equalling UBCO's single-game record. Notably, he stands among the select few in the conference to achieve 12+ rebounds on two separate occasions this season. He also added seven points and three blocks in the game.
Â
Matthias Klim – UFV
The third-year forward hailing from Chilliwack, B.C., demonstrated exceptional accuracy tonight by converting seven out of eight field goal attempts to finish with 16 points in just 13 minutes of action off the bench. He also added three rebounds and one block.
WHERE THEY SIT
With the Cascades win, the two teams are now tied at 2-3 in the crowded Canada West standings.
UP NEXT
The two teams will square off again on Saturday night, November 18, as the Heat aim for a weekend split on the road. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv.
