Dami Osuma looks for an opening against TRU's Gavin Ries on Friday. Osuma was among the Griffins' leaders with eight points and six rebounds (Husain Dhooma photo).
Dami Osuma looks for an opening against TRU's Gavin Ries on Friday. Osuma was among the Griffins' leaders with eight points and six rebounds (Husain Dhooma photo).
November 8, 2025

Early success not sustained as Griffins run into a wall in TRU defence in 69-47 defeat

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Husain Dhooma
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – The Griffins initially burst onto the court playing with purpose on Friday night but could not sustain the momentum, as they fell 69-47 to the Thompson Rivers WolfPack at home at the David Atkinson Gym.

The Griffins started the game strong, shooting 53.8% in the first quarter, limiting the WolfPack to just 11 points. Unfortunately, their quick scoring advantage vanished quickly as the WolfPack went on a 22-point second quarter and never looked back. 

For Griffins Head Coach David Kapinga, the Griffins' success in the first quarter was short-lived by their own fault. 

"The ball was moving and that created a lot of havoc defensively for the WolfPack and then, for some reason, we went away from what gave us success and started attempting tougher shots. We will make sure that our players understand what creates a good shot and what creates a bad shot," said Kapinga. 

With the result, TRU is now 4-0 on the campaign, while MacEwan falls to 2-3.

The Griffins fell deeper into their struggles as the game progressed. In the first half alone they turned the ball over 12 times and surrendered their five-point first-quarter lead. What started as a one-sided affair by the Griffins led to the Wolfpack returning the favor in the second quarter. According to Kapinga, the Wolfpack's defense was an obstacle the Griffins couldn't get over. 

"They did a great job defensively, pressuring us and doubling us. It didn't really work today and our job here as a coaching staff is to watch the film and provide our players with solutions for the next game and hopefully execute it and get a different result," said Kapinga. 

While the Griffins could not get past the defensive hump from the Wolfpack, the free-throw disparity told another story. The WolfPack attempted 10 free-throws in the first half compared to the Griffins' four. As the game progressed, TRU's 25 free-throw attempts almost doubled the Griffins' 15 attempts, which was another reason for their lack of success according to Kapinga.   

"We made our shots while they didn't, making it hard for us to attempt more free-throws. However, the guys that are supposed to attempt and shoot free throws were not attacking and getting to the paint. We weren't as aggressive and that kind of shoved us a little bit," said Kapinga. 

Despite the loss, there were bright spots that the Griffins exhibited. Guard Diego Presingular provided an energizing lift, especially in the opening quarter.

"Diego is a great point guard, and he steers the pot a lot for us and we're going to make sure to prepare him and the rest of the team for our next matchup and make sure that we set them up for success," said Kapinga. 

Presingular led the Griffins with 10 points, while both Dami Osuma and Dele Osuma had eight points each. 

Thompson Rivers was led by Dami Farinloye, who bucketed 17 points to go with six rebounds and five steals.

The WolfPack defense was suffocating, but the Griffins have a clear path forward to get more shots, says Kapinga. 

"We have to get into the paint, that's number one. If the paint is crowded, then we can kick out and then take longer ranged shots and shoot it with confidence. It's about putting pressure on the rim and then creating advantage," he explained.

The teams will meet again on Saturday (5 p.m., David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).