After a disappointing exit at nationals last season, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds return to the U SPORTS Final 8 knowing their path begins against one of the country’s most complete teams.
UBC, the Canada West runner-up and seventh seed, faces the second-seeded Toronto Metropolitan Bold on Friday at 12 p.m. MT at Jack Simpson Gym in the national quarterfinal. The winner advances to meet either the third-seeded Laval Rouge et Or or the sixth-seeded Carleton Ravens in the semifinal.
The Thunderbirds enter with the more productive offence, averaging 85.0 points per game. Toronto Metropolitan built its OUA championship run on defensive control, allowing just 67.5 points per contest, while also boasting the matchup’s most dynamic individual talent in OUA player of the year Aaron Rhooms.
Whether Rhooms continues to add to his legacy or UBC finds redemption after last year’s upset will be decided Friday afternoon in Calgary.
Tale of the Tape
UBC’s scoring output has been driven by a deep rotation and interior efficiency. The Thunderbirds shot .448 from the field this season and dominated the glass, averaging 44.2 rebounds per game while out-rebounding opponents by more than eight per night.
CW First Team All-Star Nikola Guzina anchors the offence with 15.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game on 56.1 per cent shooting. Second-year Nylan Roberts adds 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds, while senior guard Holt Tomie orchestrates the offence with 12.2 points and a team-high 146 assists.
UBC also spreads the floor effectively, averaging 8.7 three-pointers per game and recording 17.5 assists per contest.
TMU counters with a defence that consistently forces mistakes and limits efficient scoring opportunities. The Bold held opponents to .365 shooting and forced 16.9 turnovers per game, producing a plus-2.7 turnover margin and a central feature of their identity.
The defensive discipline has translated. TMU outscored opponents by 14.4 points per game and finished the season 20-5 overall. Their peak so far has been bogging down Carleton 66-56 in the OUA championship.
Guzina and company will have to contend with Aidan Wilson in the paint, the Bold’s primary rim protector. Toronto Metropolitan can also rely on an active defensive presence from Deandre Goulbourne, a wing known for his shot-blocking ability.
Rhooms leads balanced Bold attack
Offensively, Toronto Metropolitan is led by Rhooms, one of the most productive players in the country. The senior averaged 22.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49.0 per cent from the field and 36.6 per cent from three-point range.
Rhooms is supported by a balanced supporting cast. Gabriel Gutsmore contributes 11.1 points per game, Goulbourne adds 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds, and Kevin Toth provides playmaking stability with 127 assists.
TMU’s depth has also been a factor, with the Bold averaging 15.5 assists per game while controlling the rebounding battle at 43.5 boards per night.
Both teams rebound impressively, but UBC typically holds a larger margin.
Versus the Field
The historical sample between these programs is small but evenly split. UBC and Toronto Metropolitan have met only twice, with each team claiming one victory.
Against the other teams in the field, the Thunderbirds hold a 5-3 record against the Acadia Axemen, 5-0 against the Bishop’s Gaiters, 3-2 against the Carleton Ravens, and 2-2 against the Laval Rouge et Or.
UBC’s long-standing rivalry with the Victoria Vikes tilts toward Victoria, which leads the series 119-101. On the other hand, the T-birds have also historically fared well against the host Calgary Dinos, posting a 108-72 record and a .600 winning percentage despite contests being separated by an average scoring margin of four points.
TMU owns a 14-6 record against Laval, is 3-0 against Victoria, and sits at 10-12 against Bishop’s. The Bold are 2-8 against Acadia and 2-6 against Calgary.
Their most frequent opponent is of course Carleton. Although TMU defeated the Ravens to capture the OUA championship, historically the matchup has favoured Carleton, which holds an 86-24 all-time record against the Bold.
What's at Stake
Friday’s quarterfinal will determine more than just a semifinal berth. With either Laval or Carleton waiting on the opposite side of the bracket, the winner could face an OUA championship rematch or another high-powered offence from Quebec.
For UBC, success may hinge on hitting timely shots against Toronto Metropolitan’s defensive pressure. For the Bold, containing the Thunderbirds’ size and rebounding advantage will be critical.
UBC has not won a national championship since capturing back-to-back titles during the Peter Mullins era in the early 1970s. In Phil Jalalpoor’s first Final 8 appearance behind the bench, the T-birds will look to reverse a history of frustrating exits on the national stage.
David DeAveiro, meanwhile, has led Toronto Metropolitan through the most successful stretch in program history. Since taking over in 2020, he has compiled a 105-52 (.669) record. The Bold are still seeking their first national championship, with their closest calls coming under Roy Rana, when the program finished runner-up in consecutive seasons in 2017 and 2018, both losses to Carleton.
By Friday afternoon in Calgary, one of these teams will move a step closer to a national title both programs have long clamoured for.