KELOWNA, B.C. – The UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team kicked off their preseason this weekend with a trio of games in Ontario against three OUA playoff teams in the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, the TMU Bold and the Laurier Golden Hawks.
 
Although the Heat weren't able to pick up a victory against three tough opponents, they did push all three teams in each game, including a narrow 84-81 loss to Ontario Tech on Friday and an 88-82 defeat in overtime at the hands of the Golden Hawks.
 
UBCO opened their Ontario swing against the Ridgebacks in a contest they led by one, 38-37, at halftime. Ontario Tech made a big run in the third quarter to take a 15-point lead going to the fourth. The Heat would rally but couldn't quite get all the way back falling by three.
 
Jalen Shirley of Brampton, Ont., led the way for the Heat with 17 points with Jas Dhudwal of Surrey, B.C., added 12 points and eight rebounds. Rookie Mike Adarkwah-Nti of Dallas, Texas added 10 points off the bench in his debut for the Heat.
 
On Saturday, the Heat met the Bold in Toronto with TMU coming away with an 81-67 victory.
 
The Bold were paced by a big opening quarter and rode the 14-point advantage after 10 minutes to the win.
 
Gavin Ashworth of Grand Prairie, Alta., was the Heat's leading scorer with 13 while Adarkwah-Nti once again shone off the bench with 10 points in eight minutes.
 
Sunday's showdown with the Golden Hawks to wrap up the preseason road trip was a thrilling contest that saw the Heat leading late in regulation before a trio of three throws by Laurier sent the game to overtime tied at 77.
 
With momentum of their side, the hosts controlled the overtime frame to come away with an 88-82 win.
 
Shirley had a dominant game for the Heat, shooting over 50 percent from the floor to finish with 29 points, along with five assists and four steals. Three other members of Heat finished in double figures, including Elan Kimpton-Cuellar of Roberts Creek, B.C., with 13, Ashworth with 11 as well as David Usuomon of Brampton, Ont., with 11.
 
The Heat will now turn their attention to their regular season which gets underway on Thursday, October 31 with a early-season Presidents' Cup matchup in Kamloops against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack. UBCO will then play their home opener on Friday, November 1 against the UNBC Timberwolves.