By Armen Zargarian
Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) men’s basketball team fell to the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) 90-74 on Friday evening at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
TMU and UPEI are unfamiliar foes, having only played each other once in program history—a pre-season clash over a decade ago in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
“I’ll take responsibility for the loss today because we weren’t ready to play against the style of play that they play,” said Bold head coach David DeAveiro. “They made some shots and we didn’t play enough aggressive defense and that’s on me.”
The game started off at a rapid pace, with UPEI scoring eight points in the opening minute. The Panthers went on to hit 15 three-pointers on 42 per cent three-point shooting in the game, including six triples from guard Isaiah Ankra.
Point guard Ankit Choudhary eased the Bold in with a five-foot floater and a pair of free throws. TMU got to the free-throw line early and often, attempting 13 free throws in the first quarter and converting 11 of them.
Each time TMU stepped to the free throw line UPEI’s road crowd was adamant about distracting them with belligerent screaming. After second-year forward Aaron Rhooms made back-to-back free throws, he put his finger to his lips, effectively silencing the raucous crowd.
TMU was without their late addition David Walker, who was out sick. In Walker’s absence, Rhooms, the reigning rookie of the year, poured in 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Led by their lightning-quick guard Elijah Miller, UPEI snatched TMU’s lead in the opening minutes of the quarter. Miller started dominating in transition, bursting to the rim and evading Bold defenders that were trying to stay in front of him.
“They were able to beat us off the dribble without any pressure,” said DeAveiro. “Our attention to detail was not great today, we had a lot of defensive breakdowns.”
UPEI outscored TMU 29-12 in the second quarter and sprinted away with a 52-40 lead into the half.
The offense stalled for TMU in the second half, with Choudhary and Rhooms stepping out of bounds on back-to-back possessions. TMU could have used Choudary’s scoring prowess on this night, but the starting point guard was stifled to only four points and one assist.
“With Ankit probably playing the hardest position on the floor, the point guard position, understanding the flow of the game and what’s happening in the game is important,” said DeAveiro.
“More importantly than anything he needs to defend,” said DeAveiro. “If you look at his plus-minus today he was minus 24 in 17 minutes,” added DeAveiro.
TMU didn’t score a single point until rookie guard Isaiah McRae hit a rhythm three-pointer with 6:10 left in the third quarter. Rhooms followed up with a signature mid-range jump shot and a three-ball from the right wing.
Ankra, however, continued his hot shooting, finishing with 24 points on the night.
Although TMU showed life in the fourth quarter, they were unable to bring the deficit below double-digits. The Panthers’ timely shot-making and long-range assassinations were too much for the Bold to overcome.
Rhooms led the post-game huddle at mid-court, encouraging his team but also expressing his disappointment.
“I was just keeping it real,” said Rhooms. “The effort was disproportionate among us, it’s not like everyone was locked in. Giving up open threes, you don’t do that as a competitive basketball player.”
He also added that TMU has the athleticism and length to be a dominant defensive team, but it’s all about consistency.
“It comes down to effort and wanting to do it every night,” said Rhooms. “In the long-term, if we get used to doing that we can be a top-five team in the country.”
UP NEXT: TMU takes on the University of Alberta on Oct. 22. It will be their last pre-season contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the MAC.
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