LANGLEY, B.C. - The UBC Okanagan Heat men's basketball team fell to the Trinity Western Spartans, 98-87, on Friday at the Langley Events Centre.
Jalen Shirley led the Heat with 19 points, showcasing his shooting range by hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. He also contributed 5 assists and 6 rebounds.
Gavin Ashworth was the top scorer with 21 points, connecting on four three-pointers while
Lamine Conde added 15 points.
Jas Dhudwal led the team in rebounds, securing a double-double performance with 11 boards, including seven offensive rebounds, while also scoring 10 points.
David Mutabazi led the way for the hosts with an impressive 28 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals, making a significant impact on both ends of the floor. Josh Belvin also excelled, scoring 24 points on 71.4 percent shooting from the field.
The Heat concluded the first quarter with a 32-21 advantage over the Spartans. UBCO's offence was efficient, making 13 of 26 baskets, including four of ten from beyond the arc. The Heat capitalized on turnovers, scoring six points off turnovers and dominating fast-break opportunities with eight points. They also controlled the paint with 16 points and secured seven offensive rebounds, contributing to their 16 total rebounds. Meanwhile, TWU shot 8-of-20 from the field and struggled to keep pace with the Heat's fast-paced attack.
In the second quarter, the Heat made nine of 23 shots, including four from beyond the arc, and recorded seven assists. Despite not attempting any free throws, UBCO was effective in the paint with 10 points and received strong contributions from the bench, which added 10 points. The performance allowed the team to take a nine-point lead, 54-45, into the break
The second half was a different story as the Spartans outscored the visiting Heat 25-18 in the third quarter to cut UBCO's lead to just two. The Heat struggled with turnovers, committing nine compared to the Spartans' two. Despite shooting 50 percent from the free-throw line, TWU maintained a strong presence in the paint with ten points.
The Spartans maintained their momentum into the fourth quarter, capitalizing on their dominance in the paint with 22 points compared to UBCO's four. Despite scoring 10 points off second-chance opportunities, the Heat were unable to overcome the Spartans' balanced attack, which included eight points from the bench and six fast-break points.
With the loss, UBCO drops to 4-9 on the season while the Spartans get back to .500, sitting with a 7-7 record.
The Heat will wrap up their road trip on Saturday when they take on the U SPORTS No. 1-ranked Victoria Vikes on the road. Game time is set for 4 p.m. and the action can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv presented by BioSteel.
