KAMLOOPS – Asher Mayan poured in 34 points, 22 of which came in the second half, but a late surge from the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's basketball team fell just shy in a 92-88 loss at the hands of the Fraser Valley Cascades.
 
The WolfPack's 88 points scored was their second-highest offensive output this season and Mayan was the catalyst all game long. The third-year guard shot 5-8 from beyond-the-arc and was well over 50 per cent from the floor in the game. As a team, TRU knocked down 12 three-pointers but were unable to recover from a second quarter that saw Fraser Valley score 32 points.
 
TRU's perimeter defence shone early as they limited UFV to hitting just one three-pointer in the opening quarter. That defensive effort combined with six early points from Cyrus Harrison saw the 'Pack hold a 22-18 lead after the first quarter.
 
The second frame belonged to UFV however. Chris Jackson had 12 points and Dylan Kinley 11 as the host Cascades exploded for 32 points in the quarter. The Cascades snagged their first double-digit lead of the game late in the second before a three-pointer from Mayan with 30 seconds left in the half made the score 50-42 in favour of UFV through 20 minutes of play.
 
Back-to-back three-pointers from Mayan coming out of the halftime break cut that lead down to two in the first minute of the third quarter. Fraser Valley answered with a 17-7 run throughout the middle portion of the third to allow them to hold a slim four-point edge through three quarters.
 
The teams traded buckets throughout most of the fourth quarter before a Jackson three-pointer with a minute left to play stretched UFV's lead back to double-digits. Mayan added six points in that final minute of action to make things close down the stretch but UFV was able to hold on for the victory.
 
TRU and UFV will face off once again tomorrow evening in Abbotsford, with the 5-8 WolfPack eyeing a victory to keep pace with the 6-7 Cascades.