TMU rallies past UBC to reach men’s Final 8 semifinal

Aaron Rhooms delivered when it mattered most as the second-seeded Toronto Metropolitan Bold rallied in the second half to defeat the No. 7 UBC Thunderbirds, 97-91, in the opening quarterfinal of the 2026 U SPORTS Men’s Final 8, presented by Student Housing Calgary, on Friday at Jack Simpson Gym.

Rhooms, who was named the recipient of the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy as the U SPORTS men’s basketball player of the year on Wednesday, earned player-of-the-game honours for Toronto Metropolitan after helping lead a decisive second-half surge.

UBC controlled much of the first half, jumping out to a fast start and taking a 28-15 lead after the opening quarter. The Thunderbirds continued to pressure the Bold offensively, carrying a 55-37 advantage into halftime.

Toronto Metropolitan gradually chipped away after the break. The Bold outscored UBC 26-11 in the third quarter to erase most of the deficit before erupting for 34 points in the final frame to complete the comeback victory.

TMU’s perimeter shooting proved decisive down the stretch, as the Bold knocked down 17 three-pointers and shot better than 42 per cent from beyond the arc while finishing with 26 assists on 35 made field goals.

Rhooms anchored the Bold effort on both ends of the floor, while the team’s balanced attack helped swing the momentum after halftime.

UBC was paced by player of the game Tobi Akinkunmi, who delivered a strong all-around performance as the Thunderbirds pushed the national contenders deep into the fourth quarter.

Despite the loss, the Thunderbirds showcased their offensive depth with five players finishing in double figures and built a lead as large as 20 points during the second quarter.

• Toronto Metropolitan: Aaron Rhooms
• UBC: Tobi Akinkunmi