UBC's men's basketball team defeated cross-town rivals SFU Clan 101-71 in the Buchanan Cup Tuesday night.
It’s been five years since the UBC Thunderbirds have faced off with the Simon Fraser Clan for the Buchanan Cup. Tuesday night marked the T-Birds' third straight cup win, although the last game was in 2010. The UBC team has undergone significant changes since last year and has many fresh faces on the roster.
Of course, there are a few veterans leading the newcomers — especially Jordan Jensen-Whyte who put up an impressive 22 points to lead the team in scoring. After a close first quarter, UBC led SFU 29-24. The Thunderbirds then had an explosive second quarter. David Wagner was a force to be reckoned with in the paint and newcomer guard Philip Jalalpoor hustled on every loose ball. They went on an 18-1 run to close out the half and delivered back to back dunks that invigorated the crowd.
One of the biggest game changers was happening under the hoop. UBC managed to score 50 points in the paint to the 18 from SFU. Entering the third, UBC led 54-35 and they only extended their lead to a staggering score of 82-51 by the end of it. The bench was a huge asset and contributed 42 points to the final score.
"A couple of us have been here for a while. Me, [David Wagner] and Conor [Morgan] are really taking a leadership role and we got a bunch of new guys this year," said Jensen-Whyte. “The guys are coming out well. Today was a great team effort and we just want to keep it rolling.”
It’s true — every player on the team managed to get on the scoreboard by the end of the fourth quarter. The veteran starters sat the last quarter out in order for the second-string squad to continue the competition. Their energy kept the lead easily — a three pointer courtesy of newcomer Dominic Gilbert pushed UBC into the triple digits and a final score of 101-71.
With a great turnout from both SFU and UBC fans, it looks like the Buchanan Cup has returned with style. The Thunderbirds had a strong victory over SFU despite their hustle and determination. Hopefully, this game is indicative of what’s to come in the rest of the season — veteran players leading the skilled newcomers, high flying alley-oops and more evenly spread team victories.
The Thunderbirds will be playing at home this weekend against Mount Royal on Friday and Evergreen State Saturday.