The UBC Thunderbirds basketball team is having some pre-season success after going 5-0 at the Top University Basketball Tournament in Taipei this month.
And one player that is turning some heads in his second season with the club is Port Coquitlam forward Patrick Simon.
The Archbishiop Carney student 21 points and picked up eight-rebounds in the final game, when UBC steamrolled Nagoya Gakuin 119-60, finishing the tourney 5-0.
“I’m happy,” said Simon. “I came here with the goal to improve and take advantage of this trip. We came out here to get closer as a team and build some chemistry. It was a great experience overall.”
Earlier in the tournament, UBC trounced an undefeated another club from Taiwan 108-46, where Simon and teammate Luka Zaharijevic combined for 51 points and Simon pulled down 14 rebounds.
The Thunderbids only dressed eight players for the trip, but were fresh throughout all five games they played in Taipei. It was also an opportunity for some players to see more minute than usual, which will help with the regular season rapidly approaching.
The team flew home earlier this week and will be back in action on Aug. 11 at the War Memorial Gym in a match that will see them take on the NCAA Division I UNC Charlotte in exhibition.
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