The UNBC Timberwolves men’s basketball team (3-1) put the cherry on top of a 4-0 weekend for UNBC varsity athletics. Saturday night at the Northern Sports Centre, the TWolves earned a scrappy 83-77 victory over the visiting MacEwan Griffins (0-6). Spencer Ledoux notched a double-double for the hosts with 20 points and 10 rebounds while three other TWolves achieved double figures offensively. The Griffins were led in response by a 21-point effort from Matthew Osunde.
A loud start for the hosts who held a 27-15 edge after one on 11/18 shooting. Fresh off his 10-assist, 14-point effort from Friday, second-year guard Justin Sunga opened Saturday’s rematch with two threes and seven first quarter points. Todd Jordan’s club also got six points apiece from Spencer Ledoux and Chris Ross. Justace Byam and Matthew Osunde each responded with four first quarter points for the Griffins.
The tandem of Justace Byam and Job Janda combined for 15 points in the second quarter for the Griffins as they chipped away at the UNBC, lead getting back to within six points on three different occasions. But the TWolves kept their lead thanks to some depth scoring and some quality three-throw shooting from Darren Hunter and Will Keyes. At half UNBC was 9/11 from the charity stripe. They also held a slim 21-19 edge in rebounds and a 13-6 advantage in assists en route to a 48-40 halftime lead.
Todd Jordan’s squad had their resolve tested in the third quarter as the Griffins scrapped their way back to within five points. A huge three-pointer from Matthew Osunde with 17 seconds left in the quarter gave the visitors some life while Justace Byam supplied five more points to give him 16 through 30 minutes. The TWolves leaned heavily on Spencer Ledoux at both ends of the floor in the third, and the Kamloops product delivered. He supplied the hosts with six points and five rebounds as his squad was up 58-53 with 10 minutes remaining.
At the 3:19 mark of the final quarter, Matthew Osunde’s four unanswered points pushed GMU to within a single point of the TWolves. But Darren Hunter quickly countered with four unanswered points and Justin Sunga and Will Keyes each added layups to move UNBC back up by seven. With 38 seconds left on the clock the TWolves maintained a 79-74 lead and Griffins point guard Matthew Osunde hit just one free-throw to keep it at a two-score game. The next time down the floor, TWolves captain Spencer Ledoux countered with a layup giving him 20 points for the evening, and officially halting any hopes of a GMU comeback. The final score showed 83-77 for UNBC.
Spencer Ledoux’s double-double stat line featured 20 points and 10 rebounds giving him Mr. Mike’s Player of the Game honours. Justin Sunga (12), Darren Hunter (12) and Josh Gillespie (11) also finished in double figures offensively.
Next up for UNBC – A trip East to Alberta for a Friday-Saturday double-header clash with the Golden Bears on Friday and Saturday. It marks the first road game of the 2023-24 Canada West season for UNBC.