VANCOUVER – One down, one to go.
 
The UBC Thunderbirds took their first step towards the Canada West playoff semifinals on Thursday night, taking down the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns 81-57 in the first game of their best-of-three quarter-final series at War Memorial Gym.
 
Jordan Jensen-Whyte (Calgary) was the offensive catalyst for the 'Birds, pacing the club with 25 points, while tacking on three rebounds, two steals, and an assist. 
 
"Jordan has been just so solid for us – he's the glue, he's the guy," said UBC head coach Kevin Hanson of his star guard. "He's coming out and playing like a professional every night. His attitude on the court is awesome, and defensively, he gets the toughest assignments. Offensively, I thought he was terrific when he was attacking the rim. Right now, he's playing with a lot of confidence."
 
The 'Birds also got solid offensive showings from Phil Jalalpoor (Schifferstadt, Germany) and Will Ondrik (Vernon, B.C.), who picked up 12 and 11 points, respectively.
 
For the Horns, it was their seniors who led the attack, as guard Rob Olsen finished with 14 points to lead Lethbridge in scoring, while his favourite running mate, forward Brandon Brine, finished with 13.
 
"They have three fifth-year seniors [Jared Baker], who don't want their seasons to end, and they played real hard defensively," said Hanson. "I thought they got up on us more than we would have liked, and we need to execute better."
 
The 'Birds opened up the contest about as well as possible, with a 13-2 run over the first four-and-a-half minutes. Jalalpoor was locked during that opening foray, notching 10 points.
 
Ondrik and rookie guard Taylor Browne (Surrey, B.C.) were the major factors in the second half of the first quarter. Ondrik, the fourth-year forward, finished the frame with nine points, while Browne went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc after coming off the bench.
 
All said, the 'Birds ended the first frame up 28-13.
 
The second stanza was a showcase for T-Birds' captain Jensen-Whyte. The athletic combo guard notched 14 of the team's 18 points during the 15-minute period, using his slashing ability to create his own space and make shots from all over the court.
 
On the Lethbridge side, it was Olsen who took the lead role, as the fifth-year guard ended the first half with 10 points, double Zac Overwater's second-place five points. 
 
Overall, he second frame was a much more back-and-forth affair, as the 'Birds simply maintained their 15-point advantage, leading 46-31 by halftime.
 
Neither team could find any sort of rhythm in the third quarter, with the two sides combining for just 33 points on 8-of 27 shooting.
 
However, the 'Birds made 13-of-14 from the charity strip in the frame, enough to outscore the Pronghorns by a 19-14 margin and extend their lead to 65-45 by the end of the quarter.
 
"Defensively, that was our focus all week in practice, and I'm pretty happy with the way our defensive system showed tonight – it's definitely improving. We just have to make sure can put it together for two games in a row."
 
Sixteen points were all the 'Birds could muster in the final quarter, but it was more than enough, as they cruised to the 81-57 decision.
 
Lethbridge will be on the ropes as the two sides prepare for game two of the series tomorrow night, March 4. Opening tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (PT)
 
UBC will play host to the CIS Men's Basketball Final 8 in less than two weeks. Get your tournament packages and single tickets now, as the national championship is set to take place from March 17-20 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. The men's basketball team plays a quarter-final game on Thursday, March 17 at 8 p.m. Get tickets now.