KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The new-look Trinity Western men's basketball team opened their 2019-20 regular season with a 102-80 loss to Thompson Rivers on the road at the Tournament Capital Centre in Kamloops.
 
Spartans guard Gabe Mannes (Chilliwack, BC) led TWU in scoring with 17 points, while Isiah Reimer (Abbotsford, B.C.) and Jack Nadelhoffer (Tigard, Ore.) added 14 points apiece. TRU forward Anton Bilus led the Wolfpack with 17 points. 
 
Despite taking an early 5-2 lead, the Spartans were down 23-21 at the end of the first quarter. Ethan Da Silva (Calgary) opened the game with six points for TWU. 

The Spartans then gave the Wolfpack a run in the second quarter, after the Wolfpack jumped out to a ten point lead at one point the Spartans capitalized on TRU turnovers to cut the deficit to five heading into the third quarter.

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 third, Nadelhoffer made a beautiful spin move to the basket to reduce the TRU lead to nine, chipping in with two of his 12 third quarter points. TRU led 76-64 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Wolfpack then built momentum into the fourth quarter as their lead reached up to 20 points, holding on for the home victory 102-80. 

QUOTABLE
Trevor Pridie – TWU Head Coach
 
"It was a bit of a disappointing start. We had a decent effort in the first half but their physicality and size caused us some problems. Jack Nadelhoffer was really good and battled hard and did some good things. Adam Gehrig was really solid tonight and competed hard and Gabe had a pretty good offensive game as well. But overall, yea, it was disappointing, but we'll look to bounce back tomorrow night."
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans came into Friday's match with a 7-3 record over its last 10 games against TRU.
• TWU was coming off wrapping up its preseason with a 104-93 loss at home to the Mount Royal Cougars last week.
• TWU won 81-74 in their last meeting against the Wolfpack (Jan. 27, 2018).

NEXT UP
The Spartans have a rematch set against the Wolfpack for Saturday (7 p.m.) at the Tournament Capital Centre in Kamloops. 

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men's hockey and as an independent team in men's rugby. The men's and women's hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.
 
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