Reds score victory over Capers in AUS men’s basketball action
Sydney, NS – The UNB Reds (3-5) scored a victory over the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (2-6) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men’s basketball action at Sullivan Fieldhouse on Friday night.
Reds score victory over Capers in AUS men's basketball action
By Corey LeBlanc
Sydney, NS – The UNB Reds (3-5) scored a victory over the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (2-6) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's basketball action at Sullivan Fieldhouse on Friday night.
The Reds, who hit nine three-pointers in the first half, came out sizzling from beyond the arc. On the strength of three consecutive baskets from downtown, the visitors led 9-4.
After 2022 conference rookie of the year Norm Burry (Grafton, NB) made a sensational drive down the lane for an uncontested spinning lay-up, the Reds pushed their edge to double digits – at 19-9.
The exclamation point on a strong opening 10 minutes for UNB came on an emphatic slam dunk from Mark Tobin (Mount Pearl, NL), after he slashed into the point from the wing. After making the subsequent free throw, the Reds led 22-11.
After the first quarter, UNB had a 27-15 advantage.
In the second quarter, Jason Callaghan (Sydney, NS) drained an early jumper for the Capers to slice the UNB edge to 29-20.
After the Capers inched closer on a three-pointer from Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney, NS), the Reds answered with shots from beyond the arc from Malik Grant (Brampton, ON) and Burry to maintain a 35-27 lead.
In the closing minutes before halftime, the UNB lead ballooned to 49-35, but CBU battled back, scoring the final six points of the second stanza, including a pair of lay-ups from conference leading scorer Osman Omar (Mississauga, ON) and an acrobatic rainbow reverse drive to the hoop from freshman guard Justus Peuser (Geisenheim, Germany).
The Reds led 49-41 heading to the locker room.
In the third quarter, a quick start by the Capers – one keyed by a jumper and drive to the basket from Peuser, along with tight 'D' that forced a UNB shot clock violation – the Reds' halftime edge was narrowed to 49-45 in the opening minute.
UNB answered – both from the outside and in the paint – with a follow-up dunk from Anthony Sears (Antigonish, NS) restoring their double-digit advantage – at 64-54.
In the second half of the stanza, the UNB edge ballooned to as much as 14 points; while CBU chiseled away at the deficit, they couldn't get any closer than nine points.
After Callaghan potted a buzzer-beater, the Capers trailed 75-63 heading to the fourth quarter.
In that final frame, the Reds extended their edge to 80-65 in the opening 90 seconds.
With just less than six minutes remaining in regulation, Grant nailed a three-pointer to give the visitors their largest lead at 85-69.
The Capers battled but they could not pull within any closer than nine points, after a late surge, as the Reds cruised to a well-earned victory.
Burry led the Reds with 21 points, while adding 10 rebounds and five assists.
Grant, the Subway player of the game, finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Brandon Laryea (Crawley, UK) chipped in 11 points and six rebounds, while Eden Otshudi (Hamilton, ON) – off the bench – added 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists to a balanced UNB attack.
Omar led the Capers with a game-high 27 points, while adding eight rebounds, three steals and one assist.
Callaghan contributed 17 points, five rebounds and two assists, while Tyson Cato (Ajax, ON) added 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
Peuser – off the bench – chipped in 10 points, four assists and two rebounds.
The match-up was the final AUS regular season game for both sides in 2022.
At halftime, CBU Athletics honored the Caper men's soccer program, which captured its sixth consecutive Atlantic University Sport (AUS) banner earlier this month on home turf at Ness Timmons Field. They also garnered a fourth-place finish at the U SPORTS national championship at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC.
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