KAMLOOPS – The preseason is a time to evaluate your players and your systems. That’s what the defending Canada West silver medalists: the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s basketball team began to do on Friday (Oct 14).

The WolfPack played their first exhibition tilt of the 2016-17 campaign at a tournament in Kelowna, BC. They fell in overtime to the MacEwan University Griffins of Edmonton, Alberta 80-74.

“We didn’t rebound well and gave them two and three opportunities,” said TRU head coach Scott Clark. “It is a start. In these cases you are evaluating everything about your team from personnel to your systems. We did some things well but we also learned that we need to improve upon a number of areas. We need to do a better job of guarding the basketball and rebounding. We did it well at times but then lost some focus and allowed them to score.”

Clark continued: “We shot the ball well but we missed a lot of shot. The guys are learning that even if you do shoot well that doesn’t mean you come away with a victory.”

No formal stats were recorded but MacEwan did lead TRU 32-29 at the half.

The WolfPack will close out the exhibition tournament on Saturday (Oct 15) with at 4 pm tip off against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

TRU opens their 2016-17 Canada West season on Friday, November 4th on the Warner Rentals Court at the Tournament Capital Centre when Kevin Hansen brings his University of British Columbia Thunderbirds into Kamloops. Tip off will be 8 pm.