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University of British Columbia Okanagan

UBCO guard Gavin Ashworth drives to the lane against the UFV Cascades in Abbotsford
Jordie Arthur
74
UBCO Heat (M) BCO 0
79
Winner Saskatchewan Huskies (M) SSK 0
UBCO Heat (M) BCO
0
74
Final
79
Saskatchewan Huskies (M) SSK
0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
UBCO Heat (M) BCO 13 20 17 24 74
Saskatchewan Huskies (M) SSK 21 24 20 14 79

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Natalie Tsang

Men's basketball's furious late comeback comes up just shy against Huskies

The Heat's late surge was cut short by last-second turnover, falling 79-74 to the Huskies in Saskatchewan

SASKATOON, Sask. – In an intense matchup at the PAC on Friday night, the Saskatchewan Huskies and the UBC Okanagan Heat battled fiercely, with the host Huskies coming out on top by a narrow 79-74 margin.

In what was a thrilling finish to the game, the Heat found themselves down six points with only 30 seconds remaining. UBCO triggered a game-changing defensive play, forcing a five-second violation on the Huskies' inbound and gaining a valuable turnover. Gavin Ashworth (Grande Prairie, Alta.) then sank a long-range three from the left side, narrowing the gap to a one-possession game. The Huskies, up 15 at the start of the fourth, suddenly found themselves on the brink with momentum swinging in favor of the Heat.

In a subsequent play, Ashworth forced another turnover with a strip on the inbound pass, leading to a chaotic scramble for possession. Capitalizing on this unexpected turn, the Heat strategically called a timeout, adding intensity as they aimed to take advantage of the push.

However, despite being on the brink of a comeback in the last quarter, the Heat faced an unfortunate out-of-bounds play and were forced to foul, leading to two crucial free throws and sealing the Huskies' victory.

Jalen Shirley (Brampton, Ont.) led the scoring for the Heat with 18 points, followed by double-digit contributions from Gavin Ashworth's 16, Hafith Moallin's 12 (Mississauga, Ont.), and Lamine Conde's 10 (Montreal, Que.).

Adding to the excitement, the game featured two buzzer-beaters, with Jonathan Haughton (Kelowna, B.C.) sinking one in the first quarter and Hafith Moallin securing another in the before halftime. TOP PERFORMERS 
Jalen Shirley – UBCO
The fourth-year guard from Brampton, Ont., had a strong performance tonight for the Heat, leading the Heat with 16 points, five rebounds, and three steals. 

Alexander Dewar – Saskatchean
The fifth-year guard hailing from Saskatoon, Sask., made his presence felt tonight, contributing 25 points, connecting on 8-of-19 field goals, and adding four rebounds to his stat line.

WHERE THEY SIT
After tonight's loss, UBCO now stands at 2-9 in the Canada West standings, while the Huskies improve to 7-4.

UP NEXT
The Heat men are set to extend their stay in Saskatoon as they gear up for the doubleheader rematch against the Huskies tomorrow, Saturday January 13th, at 3 p.m. (PT). Eager to turn the tables and secure a victory to split the weekend, fans can catch the action live on CanadaWest.tv.
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