By Francesco Cautillo

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s basketball team continue to make their national presence known, after claiming a confident 100-63 victory over the McMaster Marauders on Wednesday evening at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).

The Bold come into their fourth game of the season with a 3-1 record, with their only loss coming away against the Brock University Badgers. Despite the defeat, the team remains third in the national rankings.

Before the game kicked off, the Bold began by honouring head coach David DeAveiro, who picked up his 500th career win on Oct. 31 against the Lakehead University Thunderwolves.

The Marauders opened the match with a quick three-pointer, which was met with a quick response from fifth-year guard Aaron Rhooms. The Bold captain drained a deep three-pointer as well as a mid-range shot to help give his team a jumpstart into the game.

The first five minutes were a long shot frenzy, with nearly half the total points coming from outside the arc. 

Following a mid-range fadeaway from Rhooms, the blue and gold increased their lead to ten. 

TMU made it difficult for McMaster’s offense, picking up blocks and forcing shot clock violations. Yet, the Marauders continued to battle, making the Bold fight and hustle for every loose ball in their own zone.

Second-year guard Kevin Toth picked up a charging foul on a fast break for the Bold. The Marauders pounced on this offensive opportunity as first-year guard Isaiah Flores sank the layup to mark the score at 29-22.

Later in the second quarter, Toth found second-year forward Andrejs Silconoks with an alley-oop, electrifying the crowd at the MAC.

First-year guard Gurdeep Kalsi continued to be a threat from a distance, picking up his second three-pointer, recording his career-high in just the first half.

“I was just getting to my spots and playing through my team, and just letting the game come to me,” said Kalsi.

Rhooms was not far behind Kalsi, as he picked up his eleventh point to extend TMU’s lead to 16—their largest gap of the night. The Ontario University Athletics MVP remained in control, calling plays on offence and helping his squad get sorted in their own half.

With the teams coming back from the dressing rooms, fans at the MAC prepared for an entertaining second half, with their home team leading 48-31.

With their lead getting more and more comfortable, the TMU strategy went from fixed to flashy. Fifth-year forward Aidan Wilson took center stage with back-to-back poster dunks over the Marauders defenders. A towering 6’11”, Wilson utilized his height to irritate the paint defense from McMaster.

“I think we’re applying some of the things we’re teaching,” said DeAveiro, adding that “We got a lot of guys who can score, so if we just play through the flow of the game and get good shots we’ll be successful offensively.”

McMaster’s night went from bad to worse following a three-pointer from Toth, which put them trailing by 31 with still over a quarter left to play.

Although McMaster players and staff continued to vocalize their displeasure, the Bold carried on strategically, as if it was simply any other game at the MAC.

With McMaster’s chance of a win surely out of reach, the game turned physical very fast. The Marauders picked up multiple offensive fouls on consecutive plays, sending the court into a heated exchange.

“It felt good,” said Kalsi on the offensive fouls he drew, adding “when we play at our house, we’re here to win.”

With under 10 to play, the mid-game flair of the Bold offense dimmed as their offensive gameplay focused on late paint points and draining the remainder of the clock.

A made free-throw from first-year forward Greg Dorsey cemented a commanding victory, adding to the Bold’s recent hot scoring, racking up a staggering 300 total points over their last three games. 

“We’re not coaching for this game we’re coaching for the next one” commented a proactive Coach DeAveiro.

With the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard showed another Bold win, with the final score set at 100-63.

UP NEXT: The Bold will look to extend their winning streak in their match against the Brock University Badgers on Nov. 9 at the MAC. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.