KELOWNA, B.C. - In a game that came down to the wire, the UBC Okanagan Heat lost a hard-fought battle to their sister-school rivals, the UBC Thunderbirds, by a score of 92-88 on Saturday night at the UBCO Gymnasium.
Right from the opening tip-off, the Heat electrified the court with intense energy. Jalen Shirley (Brampton, Ont.) wasted no time setting the tone with a rapid-fire opening basket, propelling the team to a strong start.
Although the visitors responded, UBCO kept the came close throughout the opening half and trailed by just five after the first 20 minutes after a strong second quarter.
The momentum surged into the third quarter as the Heat got the crowd into the game. Hafith Moallin (Mississauga, Ont.) delivered a perfect pass to Elan Kimpton-Cuellar (Roberts Creek, B.C.), who finished it off with a thunderous dunk, intensifying the excitement in the Furnace and cutting UBC's lead to four points.
The fourth quarter featured runs by both teams as UBC went on a 13-0 run to take a 15-point lead before the Heat responded with a 14-4 run of their own to cut the lead to five points.
That was when Moallin took over. On back-to-back possessions, Moallin forced a steal before scoring, including a three-pointer to tie the game at 88 with just 46 seconds remaining on the clock.
However, the veteran Thunderbirds squad wasn't deterred, hitting four crucial free throws down the stretch to come away with the win and the weekend sweep.
TOP PERFORMERS
Hafifth Moallin – UBCO Heat
The fifth-year guard hailing from Mississauga, Ont., played a crucial role for the Heat tonight, including tying the game at 88 with a key three-pointer. He finished with night with 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Brian Wallack – UBC Thunderbirds
The Surrey, B.C., forward owned the court for the Thunderbirds on Saturday, delivering a dominant performance that helped them to victory. He racked up an impressive 23 points, thanks to a strong night at the free throw line, hitting 11 of 12 attempts, while collecting eight rebounds.
WHERE THEY SIT
The setback on Saturday leaves the Heat at 4-12 on the season, two games out of the final playoff spot in the conference with four games remaining. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds improve to 13-5 as they sit alone in fourth in Canada West.
UP NEXT
The Heat will now prepare for another double header next weekend as they set their sights on a weekend sweep against the MacEwan Griffins. Tip-off for the first game is on Friday, Feb 2nd, at 7 p.m. in the UBCO Gymnasium. Prior to tipoff, the Heat will recognize local firefighters for their efforts in protecting the Okanagan during last summer's wildfires. Tickets for the game can be purchased at the door.
