Eight ties and 16 lead changes later, the UBC Okanagan Heat had their second win of the Canada West men’s basketball season.
In a back-and-forth affair Sunday afternoon in Kelowna, the Heat prevailed 57-53 over the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack to earn a weekend split with their Interior rivals.
Aloysius Callaghan came off the bench to record a game-high 16 points for the Heat, along with five rebounds.
Second-year guard Triston Matthews continued his solid start to his season as he scored 12 points including a free-throw that would seal the deal.
Cam Servatius had his best performance of the season, with nine points—including 5-for-5 from the line—and seven boards.
Kyrin Cybenko was a beast on the glass, grabbing 12 boards in 22 minutes of play.
On Saturday, TRU spoiled UBCO’s home opener and a strong performance by Aldrich Berrios with an 81-75 win.
Berrios led the Heat with 25 points, including 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Callaghan had 17 points coming off the bench.
The Heat (2-2) are back home this weekend, Friday and Saturday nights, to take on the unbeaten Alberta Golden Bears (4-0) at the UBCO campus gym.
Heat women
The UBCO women remained winless in the early stages of the Canada West season with a pair of losses to the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack.
In their home opener Saturday, a sluggish first quarter cost the Heat in an 82-65 loss to TRU.
Forwards Emma Johnson and Jordan Korol led the Heat in scoring with 12 points a piece, while Korol also had eight rebounds. The starting backcourt duo of Emma Jonas and Vanessa Botteselle combined for 16 points along with eight assists.
On Sunday, the Heat trailed by just a point at the half but watched the Wolfpack pull away in the third quarter for an 82-72 win.
Four Heat players reached double figures, including 12 point performances by second-year guard Emma Jonas, who hit four treys on five attempts, and rookie guard Kate Johnson, who also had four assists.
The Heat will host the Alberta Pandas (3-1) Friday in a 6 p.m. tip off.
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