UBC Thunderbirds Dominate Thompson Rivers…Prepare for UFV Battle!

VANCOUVER, B.C– Back in War Memorial Gym, the Thunderbirds looked to close out the series against the Thompson River University Wolfpack.  This game started off with a bang, and it was the Thunderbirds making all the noise. After a 15-0 start and finishing the quarter at 23-1, the explosive T-birds did not look back. The Tbirds steamrolled to a 97-63 victory.

In the early parts of the game UBC was hitting anything and everything they put up.  Their defense helped them to get quick, easy transition buckets and Tommy Nixon looked strong to start the game. In the previous game against the TRU Wolfpack, Nixon had hit three from long range and he picked up right where he left off, immediately following tip off.

Throughout the course of the game, Doug Plumb was also outstanding giving 16 points in limited minutes.  Offensively this was a trend for the team in general, with four players into double digits and everyone on the team scoring with the exception of David Wagner.

While this article could be short and sweet due to the margin of victory, there were a couple of red flags raised for UBC.

“We didn’t keep the focus through four quarters” remarked Doug Plumb, and this is a major concern if they are looking at winning it all this year.  A similar issue happened the night before with this Wolfpack, allowing 31 points in one quarter.

Plumb, being a senior guard and an outright leader of this team, says it’s just a matter of youth, that it is difficult for a young team to maintain that type of discipline while up by a large amount.

While the team is full of offensive weapons, not every player off the bench is a prominent defender.  Their defensive intensity is normally catalysed by Brylle Kamen and rookie point guard Isaiah Solomon, however Brylle has been nursing a nagging hamstring injury.

A player that was exposed tonight was freshman Conor Morgan, and while his shooting touch is unquestionable, his defense on the perimeter is. This has to be questioned as Morgan has been referred to as a major part of the future of this program. He seemed to be lagging against TRU’s quick guards, and found himself committing some senseless fouls. However, this is something that can, and surely will be improved on.

The upcoming weekend will be a test as UBC hosts #4-Ranked UFV who provided the upset last year giving the T-Birds two losses in their regular season series.

UBC who holds the #2 ranking in the nation will not be able to afford any slip ups in this match up.

NPH Top Performers

UBC

• Doug Plumb- 16 points, 6 rebounds
• Geoff Pippus- 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
• Isaiah Solomon- 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals

Thompson Rivers

• Troy Grant- 14 points
• Will Ondrik- 9 points, 10 rebounds
• Kevin Pribilsky- 10 points