-The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack  utilized some effective shooting and their bench strength as they opened up the 2019-20 Canada West men's basketball season on a big note. The Pack took advantage of an inexperienced Trinity Western University Spartans club and beat them by 22 points 102-80,   The game was played Friday (Nov 1) at the Tournament Capital Centre in Kamloops, BC.

The loss was the Spartans 22^nd in a row, dating back to February 3, 2018.

TRU was led offensively by Anton Bilous (5^th year, forward, Cerkassy, Ukraine) with 17 points. Joe Davis (5^th year, forward, Kamloops, BC) and Brendan Sullivan (2^nd year, guard, Mill Bay, BC) each had 16 points.

Top scorer for Trinity Western was Gabe Mannes (2^nd year, guard, Chilliwack, BC) with 17 points.  Isiah Reimer (2^nd year, wing, Abbotsford BC) and Jack Nadelhoffer (5^th year, forward, Tigard, Oregon) added 14 points a piece.
 
 SYNOPSIS
The Spartans took an early 5-2 lead in the opening quarter but it was the WolfPack who came back and tied and held a three point lead for most of the opening 10 minutes and led 23-21 at the end of the quarter led by the seven points  from Davis and Bilous.   Ethan Da Silva, the fifth year guard from Calgary, AB was the top gunner for Trinity Western in the first quarter with six points. The Spartans out rebounded the Pack 10-8 in that period despite turning over the ball six times to TRU's two.

The plucky Spartans gave the Pack a run in the second quarter. Despite TRU holding an ten point lead at one point of the quarter, by the time half time rolled around, TRU's lead was five (47-43.) as they turned over the ball 10 times in that quarter, compared to four .   Adam Gehrig (3^rd year, forward, Brisbane, AUS) had 10 points. Rojhe Colbert (3^rd year guard, Phoenix, AZ)had 11 points for TRU at the break while Davis chipped in with 10.

The third quarter saw TRU come out and establish a 12 point lead until two back to back steals by  Nadelhoffer  resulted in a pair of buckets for the Spartans.  With TRU up 66-55 with 3:30 left in the period, Nadelhoffer made a beautiful spin move to the basket to reduce the TRU lead to nine.  He had 12 points in the quarter for Trinity. Davis had six, Bilous with three for the Pack in that period. 76-64 was the score for TRU after three quarters.

The Pack ran away with it in the fourth quarter, as their lead reached 20 points at times so coach Scott Clark gave a lot of his rookie players their first Canada West playing time. That included Forward Elan Kimpton-Cuellar (Gibson's BC),  guards Tyler Shilling (Barriere, BC),  and Simon Crossfield (Vancouver, BC).
 
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
https://youtu.be/S0Jo_pJUWag
 



THEY SAID IT! (post game quotes):
TRU Head Coach Scott Clark (10^th season):
Video of post game interview: https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1190502508843552768
 
TRU forward Rojhae Colbert (3^rd year, forward/guard, Phoenix, AZ):
Video of post game interview: https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1190502004163928069 
 
Spartans head coach Trevor Pridie (1^st season):
 
Video of post game interview:  https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1190502438035283968
 
 
UP NEXT:
The  two teams will battle again on Saturday (Nov 2) at the Tournament Capital Centre . Tip off will be 7 pm PST.  If you can't make it live, you can watch it on a pay-per-view basis on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.  you can access it by op by accessing: https://cw.yaretv.com/.  
James Matthews will be handling the play by play with former WolfPack player Vince Watson providing commentary and CFJC TV's Dylana Milobar joining them as the in-game host.

Results will be available on the WolfPack social media platforms and their website  www.goWolfPack.ca.
 
OF NOTE:  Colbert was named "The Den" Leader of the Pack player of the match as he had 13 points and six defensive rebounds. The Kamloops Rube Band were on hand to make the home and season opener even more entertaining. They were at the TCC last weekend for the volleyball home opener against the University of Calgary Dinos.  This is one of only two home weekends for the WolfPack basketball teams before Christmas.  The other comes in late November when the UNBC Timberwolves come to town for a pair of games.