By Todd Ash-Duah

In their first exhibition game of the season, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s basketball team fell short to the Kansas City Roos 95-63 on Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC). 

The Kansas City Roos are a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division 1 squad based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Roos were in the middle of a week-long Canadian tour to face a string of U Sports teams, including the York Lions and McMaster Marauders. The Roos ended their trip with a dominant victory over the Bold by leaning on a balanced approach, as six players on the team scored in double figures.

“The number one thing that I wanted to see from our guys was for them to play hard, play smart, and play fast with control,” said lead assistant coach Jeremie Kayeye, who stepped in as the interim head coach while head coach David DeAveiro is away from the team due to his commitment as head coach of the Ottawa Blackjacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).

“We started well and kind of tapered off near the end, but I know that we have something to build off for the rest of the season,” he said.

Being the preseason opener for the Bold, it’s no surprise that the home squad came out sluggishly to begin the game, missing a few open shots and turning the ball over against an aggressive Kansas City defence. Both teams traded baskets in the early portion of the game, while the Roos were more efficient on the offensive side of the floor, to obtain a 25-21 lead over the Bold to end the first quarter.

The second quarter began with TMU effectively playing in transition and moving the basketball. Third-year guard Gabriel Gutsmore drove to the rim and finished with a slick reverse layup to cut the Roos’ lead down to three. A few moments later, newly signed recruit, third year guard Deandre Goulbourne drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 28 with just over eight minutes left in the frame. Goulbourne, a recent transfer from the Centennial Colts, scored a game-high 26 points for the Bold. 

“Deandre, I think, can be a star at our level,” said Kayeye. “He was a star at Centennial and I think he has all the tools to make it happen at our level [too].”

Undeterred, the Roos responded in earnest, being quicker to loose balls and dominating the Bold in second-chance opportunities, leading them into halftime with a 50-40 lead. 

In the third quarter, TMU’s struggles on offence continued, preventing them from cutting into Kansas City’s lead. As a result, the visitors were able to keep their foot on the gas pedal and accelerate to a 74-56 lead heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Roos opened the fourth quarter on an 8-3 run, shutting the door on any comeback hopes for the Bold. Despite the loss, coach Kayeye was left feeling hopeful about the upcoming season.

“It gives me great optimism,” said Kayeye. “I think this season, if we come in, focus on exactly what we need to do and make sure we take care of the details, I think we’ll be fine.”

UP NEXT: The Bold take a trip to Rothesay, N.B. to attend the Andrew Milner Memorial Tournament. Action kicks off action against the Acadia Axemen on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.