VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds face an Ontario team for the fifth time in the pre-season when they host the Guelph Gryphons tonight at War Memorial Gymnasium.
UBC is coming off two wins and a loss at its own pre-season tournament last weekend. UBC beat Concordia and Memorial while dropping its first game of the event against Laurier.
The team's newest players, such as rookie guard
Nakai Luyken (1st, Abbotsford, BC), got lots of time on the court as the prepares for the upcoming Canada West regular season.
Coach
Kevin Hanson commended the play of first-year players like Pitt Meadows grad
Malcolm Williams (1st, Pitt Meadows, BC) while also noting that he thought veteran
Graham Bath (5th, Langley, BC) has his best ever game as a UBC Thunderbird against Memorial.
In addition to Bath, coach Hanson was pleased with the play of forward
Balraj Bains (5th, Delta, BC) last weekend as frontcourt players provided a good portion of the team's offence.
UBC is playing without guard
Nathan Yu (5th, Prince George, BC), who is in Mexico representing Canada at the Pan American Games.
This game is UBC's last against CIS competition in the pre-season.
The Thunderbirds will host a club team, the Seattle Mountaineers on November 4, before starting the Canada West regular season with home games against the Brandon Bobcats and Regina Cougars.
The Guelph Gryphons returned to the OUA playoffs last year after missing the postseason the season before, and will be looking to move up in the standings in 2012.
All-star guard Dan McCarthy (17.8-PPG) had a tremendous season and will likely be Guelph's top shooter again this year.
The loss of senior guards Jon Moscatelli and Mike Petrella will leave McCarthy a marked man for opposing defensive schemes unless some other players step up.
Leading the charge for a bigger role is likely guard Kareem Malcolm. Second-year guards Michel Clark and George Mason got some playing time as freshmen and will look to increase their contributions.
Transfer Zack Angus becomes eligible after spending his first year at Western Ontario and will push to start at the point.
Up front, 6-6 second-year man Andrew Beney is slated to start, with 6-7 veteran Adam Bering returning to the team after a year off. After them, 6-4 Sheriff Wiredu is an experienced forward and 6-8 Seneca College transfer Mohammed Osman has joined as a late recruit.
Expect the Gryphons to play with four-guards fairly often to offset the team's lack of frontcourt size.
