KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team dropped their season opener on the road Friday night as they fell 83-79 to the Thompson Rivers WolfPack.
In a tightly-contested match that went back and forth between the two Interior B.C. rivals, the WolfPack used a 10-2 run late in the fourth quarter to create the separation needed to pick up the win.
The Heat were led by fourth-year guard
Jalen Shirley of Brampton, Ont., who had 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 40 minutes in a sparkling season debut. Shirley connected on six of his 13 field goal attempts, and finished the night 2-for-4 from three-point range and 7-of-8 from the foul line.
Fifth-year forward
Jas Dhudwal of Surrey, B.C., recorded a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds while
David Usuomon of Brampton, Ont., added 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Asher Mayan of Langley, B.C., and Cyrus Harrison of Surrey, B.C., led the way for TRU dropping 21 and 20 points respectively.
Despite the Heat outshooting the WolfPack 47 percent to 37 percent, and outrebounding the hosts 49-37, the difference in the match came down to fouls. UBCO was called for 29 fouls, compared to just 18 for Thompson Rivers, and the WolfPack took advantage, finishing 25-for-35 from the free throw line while the Heat were 15-for-22 from the charity stripe.
With the win, the men's Presidents' Cup trophy race now sits at a 2-1-0 advantage for UBCO with the men's volleyball teams set to square off in Kamloops on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2. The first team to four wins this season will claim the cup.
Up next, the Heat men's basketball team returns home to Kelowna where they will host the UNBC Timberwolves for their home opener on Friday, November 1. Action gets underway at the UBCO Gymnasium at 7 p.m. and tickets for the game can be purchased at the door on game day.
