LANGLEY. - Trinity Western secured their first win of the season on Friday, as they knocked off the UFV Cascades 83-81.

The Spartans started off strong, putting up 28 points in the first quarter. The Cascades were able to close the gap, taking the lead in the fourth quarter, but a three from Pearse Long ended up standing as the winner. Caleb Gremaud sealed the victory, with consecutive blocks to keep the Cascades from tying the game. 

Connor Platz (Langley, B.C.) had a big game offensively, leading the Spartans with 22 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and denied four shots. Jack Vandenberg (Vancouver, B.C.) and David Mutabazi (Delta, B.C.) each chipped in 16 points, and Marcus Shankar (Campbell River, B.C.) had 12. Caleb Gremaud (Kamloops, B.C.) had a great game defensively, also blocking four shots and grabbing seven rebounds. 

For the Cascades, Ismael Hernandez matched Platz's 22 points, and Dilveer Randhawa had 20 points himself. 

QUOTABLE

TWU Head Coach Trevor Pridie, 

"Gutsy win for us. It's always a great feeling to get the first win of the season. It's never easy playing UFV and sometimes you have to find ways to win ugly. Connor was dominant offensively and Caleb came up huge when we needed it most. Those defensive plays down the stretch were incredible. Caleb is such a difference maker for us. That's the kind of effort that wins close games."

NOTABLES

• Trinity Western edged out Fraser Valley in a tight 83–81 win, shooting 43.6 percent (34-of-78) from the field, 27.8 percent (10-of-36) from three-point range, and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the free-throw line. The Cascades shot 37.0 percent (27-of-73) from the floor, 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from deep, and 83.3 percent (20-of-24) from the stripe.

• The Spartans held their own on the glass, pulling down 42 rebounds to UFV's 49, but made up for it with superior ball movement and rim protection — finishing with 20 assists and 11 blocks compared to UFV's 11 assists and 4 blocks. TWU also forced 9 turnovers while committing just 8 of their own, converting those into 17 points off turnovers.

• In the paint, the Spartans dominated 44–30 and added 13 fast-break points to the Cascades' 12. TWU's bench contributed 14 points, while the starting lineup powered the majority of the scoring.

• Trinity Western controlled the pace for most of the contest, leading for 34:15 of game time and by as much as 16 points. Despite a late surge from UFV, TWU held strong in the final minutes to secure the narrow victory and sweep the weekend series.

NEXT UP

The Spartans take on UFV on the second night of a back to back, looking to sweep, Friday Oct. 31st at 6 p.m. 

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 and women's and men's disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.

About Trinity Western University

Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.  

-TW-