LANGLEY, B.C. – Trinity Western guard
Tre Fillmore (Amarillo, TX) exploded for 27 points as the Spartans held off a late surge from UBC Okanagan, winning 94-91 at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday.
The Spartans (11-5) also had a triple-double performance from
Mason Bourcier (Kelowna, B.C.) of 10 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in the victory. On the other end, the Heat (5-11) had five players score double-digit figures with Imoudu Ibrahim leading the charge at 20 points scored.
Saturday's game was filled with efficiency on both ends of the court. The Spartans shot 50.0 percent from 3-point range, and 51.5 percent from the field. The Heat did well from the field as well, hitting 45.8 percent of their attempts from the field.
AS IT HAPPENED
The Spartans spread the wealth in the first quarter as eight scorers featured TWU in the frame. BB Chuks-Mady led the Heat with eight points and five rebounds, but the Spartans edged past UBCO 20-16.
12 second-quarter points from UBCO's Imoudu Ibrahim brought the game back into balance at the end of the frame (38-38).
The Spartans capped off the third quarter on the back of Fillmore's hot-hand from 3-point range. Fillmore hit three attempts from deep to put the Spartans up 72-62 heading into the fourth quarter.
Fillmore's hot shooting continued in the fourth as the fifth-year guard knocked down three more 3-pointers, ending his night's total at 27 points. The Spartans ended got up to as much as an 87-69 lead riding Fillmore's hot hand. Still, the Heat refused to go down without a fight, bringing the game within two with 1:48 remaining in the quarter. TWU held on to take the win, 94-91.
NOTABLE
• The Spartans are 13-5 all-time against UBCO, winning seven of their last 10 in the matchup. TWU is also riding a five-game winning streak against the Heat.
• All of Fillmore's points were 3-point plays. Fillmore made eight 3-pointers and one field goal – which was an and-one.
• Fillmore's hot night beyond the arc earns him the third most 3-point field goals made in a single TWU game all-time. The current record of 10 made is held by Vartan Tanielian ('19, Byblos, Lebanon), who did so on Jan. 25, 2019.
• The Spartans have secured their first winning season since the 2012-13 regular season. The Spartans went 12-10 in conference play before falling to Winnipeg in the first round of the Canada West playoffs.
• Bourcier, the all-time Canada West leader in career triple-doubles, now has eight triple-doubles.
UP NEXT
The Spartans are at Saskatchewan (3-11) on Jan. 27-28.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
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