By Santiago Ortega

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold’s men’s basketball wrapped up their exhibitions against their National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division 1 opponents Saturday night with a 65-79 loss to the University of Oakland Golden Grizzlies at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC). 

In the first quarter Oakland came out shooting, taking an early 13-4 lead. The Golden Grizzlies’ defense put heavy pressure on the Bold, forcing rushed passes and not allowing possession in the paint. 

Players like fourth-year Oakland forward, Chris Fields Jr., forced the Bold to rely mainly on three-pointers. By the end of the first quarter, the Bold could only score 12 while the Golden Grizzlies put up 23 points from all over the court.

TMU found better opportunities in the second quarter, relying less on range attempts and driving more to the basket. The Bold’s defense also got more aggressive, causing seven fouls but limiting Oakland to sixteen points in the quarter. After the first half battle, the Bold found themselves trailing with a score of 25-39.

The third quarter led to more offensive improvements for the Bold, who put up seventeen points, effectively mixing three-pointers with rim presence to start clicking on offence. One of the main reasons for this turnaround was the introduction of the newest second-year transfer guard Tobe Ezeokafor, who ignited the MAC with a streak of three-pointers.

“The first half was rough,” said Ezeokafor. “In the second half, we worked harder, played better basketball and made it more of a game.”

Ezeokafor’s run of form would carry on into the final quarter, where he would ultimately cap out at 24 points on the night. Even with the young skills and an undying mentality, the Bold still found themselves playing catch up.

Sore bodies took their toll as second-year guard Gurdeep Kalsi took a rough fall, sending the crowd into concern. Head coach David DeAveiro addressed the injury postgame as “cramps” and nothing of major concern to the TMU faithful.

With three minutes to play, TMU sat just eight points back, putting the score at 60-68. However, a late timeout would prove crucial for Oakland, as they returned immediately with a three-pointer, securing the 79-65 win. 

With the two friendly games over, Ezeokafor spoke on playing in U SPORTS, stating that it’s “as good, if not better,” than the NCAA. As for his integration into the team, Ezeokafor stated, “these are my guys, it’s easy to play with them.”

UP NEXT:  TMU will take on the George Brown Huskies on Sept. 24 at the MAC for another pre-season exhibition game. Tip-off is set for 11:00 a.m.