KELOWNA, B.C. - The UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team earned perhaps their most impressive victory in program history on Saturday afternoon as they stunned the No. 1-ranked team in Canada, the Victoria Vikes, by a score of 86-83 at The Furnace.
Playing their final game of the season where they honoured their five graduating seniors,
Liban Yousef (Edmonton),
Hafith Moallin (Mississauga, Ont.),
BB Chuks-Mady (Hamilton, Ont.),
Lansana Nwosu (Scarborough, Ont.), and
Keaton Souster (Sherwood Park, Alta.), it was the five aforementioned seniors that powered the Heat past the Vikes.
Yousef and Souster kept the game close with their timely shooting throughout the game. Yousef finished with a team-high 19 points while Souster finished with a career-high 17 points.
Late in the fourth quarter, it was Nwosu who put the game away with two clutch layups and a massive defensive rebound to close out the game. Nwosu finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three steals.
Moallin and Chuks-Mady's energy were massive down the stretch. Moallin finished with five points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Chuks-Mady finished the game with 12 points, five rebounds and two massive blocks.
The Vikes struggled to get anything going from behind the arc as the Heat held them to 20 percent from three-point range.
TOP PERFORMERS
Liban Yousef – UBCO
The fourth-year guard, in his final game would provide one of the best performances of his career. Yousef's ability to score from anywhere on the floor helped him finish with a team-high 19 points. He grabbed six rebounds and was active on the defensive end, grabbing four steals.
Renoldo Robinson – Victoria
The first-year guard form Montreal was a problem once again for the Heat defence. He posted an efficient 19 points and nine rebounds.
SEASON WRAP UP
The Heat finish the season with a 6-14 mark, which represents the best record for the program under head coach Clay Pottinger in his fourth season with the program. Although the team missed out on the postseason, the six wins is the third-most in program history since UBCO joined Canada West for the 2011-12 season. The team also finished the year ranked seventh in the conference in offence, averaging 83.6 points per game while leading the conference in offensive rebounds per game at 16.2.
