Capers edge Axemen 81-73 in AUS basketball action

Sydney, N.S. – The host Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (4-6) scored an 81-73 victory over the Acadia Axemen (1-8) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) regular season basketball action on Friday night at Sullivan Fieldhouse.  

"It is a big game for our team – we wanted to have a strong start," CBU captain Osman Omar (Mississauga ON) said of securing the hard-fought win in their first game after the extended break in the season since Christmas.

In a back-and-forth first quarter, the Capers jumped to an early nine-point edge – at 18-9.

On the strength of outside shooting, including from veteran guard Brett Speedy (Fredericton, N.B.), the Axemen finished on an 11-5 spurt, but the Capers were up 23-20 after the first quarter.

After Omar – the conference's leading scorer – meshed five consecutive points – including a three-point play, after completing a nifty left-handed drive, and a reverse baseline lay-up from a stellar C.J. Bennett (Brampton, ON) pass – the Capers took an eight-point edge early in the second stanza.

With seven straight points from Alex Muise (Bedford, N.S.), including a basket from downtown, the Axemen pulled within one point – at 34-33.

In the final minute, the sides traded baskets, with CBU taking a 36-35 advantage to the locker room at halftime. 

Sparked by the aggressiveness and power of Subway player of the game Cooper Ward (Ipswich, AUS), who muscled down the lane for a lefty lay-up and then made a sweeping bank shot in the paint, the Capers stretched their edge to 44-37 early in the third quarter.

"I think it was his best game of the season," Omar said of Ward.

Noting their shooting ability, especially from three-point land, he explained that his team's plan heading into the game focused on taking advantage of being a "little bigger" than the Axemen.

After Ryan Munro (Timberlea, N.S.) of Acadia and Jason Callaghan (Sydney, N.S.) of CBU exchanged three-pointers midway through the frame, the Capers led 51-43.

Keyed by five more points from Callaghan, including a turnaround jumper off the drive in the final seconds, along with a lay-up and blocked shot from Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney River, N.S.), CBU took a double-digit edge – 57-47 – to the fourth quarter.

Early in the final 10 minutes, after the Axemen trimmed the lead to eight points, the Capers ramped up the 'D' with Omar causing a turnover and then spilling out and taking a lead pass for an uncontested lay-up. Seconds later, he became the playmaker – after he and Callaghan forced a cough up with a trap – feeding Bennett for another lay-up to make it 66-54, and Acadia took a timeout.

With less than five minutes remaining, Speedy drained a corner three-pointer for the Axemen to slice the deficit to 66-60.

A couple minutes later, on a strong drive to the tin by Eli Kraushar (Halifax, NS), the visitors made it a one-possession game, with the Capers ahead 70-67.

Acadia could not get any closer, as Omar led the way as he and his teammates sealed the deal from the charity stripe.

Omar finished with a game-high 23 points while chipping in four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ward fashioned a double-double – 17 points and 11 rebounds – along with contributing three assists. Bennett, who also finished with 17 points, added three rebounds, three steals and one assist.

For the Axemen, Speedy – off the bench – meshed a team-high 21 points, while Muise finished with 19. Kraushar – with 10 points and 11 rebounds – had a double-double, while Rowan Power (Dartmouth, NS) contributed 10 points.

"We are taking things one game at a time, one possession at a time," Omar said of the Capers' approach during this abbreviated second half and heading into the post-season.

Because of the truncated season – due to COVID-19 pandemic health guidelines that were recently lifted – every team will make the AUS playoff tournament. 

The rematch between the teams is set for Sunday, Feb. 20 at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wolfville.

"It is going to be even harder," Omar offered, when asked about keys to securing back-to-back victories, while noting this one is on the road and Acadia will come out hard and defend their home court.

Tip-off is 3 p.m.

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