The No. 10 University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s basketball team dropped a 74-65 decision to the No. 9 Ottawa Gee-Gees on Friday, January 15 at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

The Blues are in fourth place with a 6-5 record, while the Gee-Gees improve to 8-2 and sit just behind the No. 2 Carleton Ravens in the OUA East division.

Toronto got off to a shaky start in the first half, shooting 28% from the floor to Ottawa’s 53%.

Warren Ward (London, Ont.) led the Gee-Gees with seven first-quarter points. U of T trailed by a mere three points and were able to hold Ottawa’s Josh Gibson-Bascombe (Toronto) pointless after the first quarter.

Ottawa began to rally in the second and built a nine-point lead (37-28) as Gibson-Bascombe found his scoring touch with an eight-point quarter.

The Gee-Gees extended the gap further in the third as Gibson-Bascombe and Ward combined for 12 of Ottawa’s 21 third-quarter points. The Blues faced a 14-point deficit heading into the final frame.

Toronto battled hard through to the end to outscore the Gee-Gees 21-16 in the fourth quarter. Despite 13 second-half points from Varsity Blues player of the game Justin Holmes (Toronto), Toronto was unable to amount a comeback and dropped their fifth game of the season.

Gibson-Bascombe and Ward led all players with 15 points apiece in the victory.

Holmes and Nick Magalas (Burlington, Ont.) led Toronto with 14 and 15 points, respectively. Andrew Wasik (Burnaby, B.C.) added 10 points, while Drazen Glisic (Sarajevo, BIH) had eight points and a game-high 10 boards in the loss.

The Varsity Blues return to action tomorrow night (Jan. 16) when they host the No. 2 Carleton Ravens at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym. Tip-off is schedule for 8 p.m.

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.