Friday night in the Okanagan, the UNBC Timberwolves Men’s basketball program (4-3) kicked off their weekend in fine fashion with a dominant 94-66 victory over the UBC Okanagan Heat (2-5). Evgeny Baukin paced the Timberwolves with 21 points while Josh Gillespie delivered a 17 point, 13 rebound double-double effort as 10 different TWolves factored into the offense. On the glass, UNBC combined for 53 rebounds – 21 of which came on offense. Gavin Ashworth and Elan Kimpton-Cuellar each posted 14 points for the Heat.
Todd Jordan’s crew jumped out to a 24-15 advantage in the first quarter on the strength of 12 combined points from Chris Ross and Josh Gillespie. Gillespie started the game 3/3 and added two steals while Ross added four rebounds. UNBC went to the free-throw line 11 times in the opening 10 minutes, and drained them all. Gavin Ashworth notched seven of his team-high 14 in the first quarter for the hosts.
Eight of Evgeny Baukin’s first-half points came in the second quarter on 4/4 shooting. Josh Gillespie went a perfect three-for-three in his own right to help stake UNBC to a 22-15 edge in the second, and a 46-30 lead through 20. UNBC forced the Heat into 16 first-half turnovers and had nine combined steals. The second period was a much more efficient for UNBC as they went 10/19 while UBCO went 6/19 on their attempts. Jalen Shirley was the lone player for UBC Okanagan who hit multiple field goals in the second.
Seven different TWolves found the scoresheet in the third quarter as they amassed 27 more points to their team totals. Josh Gillespie wasted little time in converting on his seventh consecutive field-goal as he drained a trey from long distance just 16 seconds into quarter. Patrick Freeman and Evgeny Baukin each added five points for the visitors who held a 23-point edge heading into the final quarter.
The large lead allowed Todd Jordan to rest some of his regulars for a majority of the final quarter, but that didn’t stop Evgeny Baukin from pouring in four more points to reach his team-high of 21. Chris Ainsley and Dylon Matthews both came off the bench and converted on their chances while Cam Lalli and Drew Williams also helped take some of the heat off the veterans who cheered from the sidelines while the youngsters put the finishng touches on a 94-66 victory.
In addition to Baukin and Gillespie, Darren Hunter (11), Chris Ross (12) and Spencer Ledoux (10) all finished in double-digits offensively for UNBC. But the biggest story of the night was Gillespie whose double-double effort made him the ultimate choice for Friday’s Earls Road Warrior of the Game honour.
The two clubs will meet again tomorrow at 4 p.m. PT in what will serve as the final game of 2023 for the UNBC Timberwolves before their exam/holiday break.