CAPERS ARE AUS CHAMPS
The Cape Breton University CAPERS defied the odds and won three playoff games this weekend to earn the title.
(HALIFAX, N.S.) – The Acadia Axewomen and the Cape Breton CAPERS faced off in the Subway AUS Women's Basketball Championship final Sunday afternoon at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, N.S.
The CAPERS earned a 79-61 win to earn the 2017 conference title—their first since 2011.
Cape Breton's Valentina Primossi (Trieste, Italy) posted 19 points, three rebounds and one assist in the victory.
The Axewomen got off to an early lead to start the game, holding a 6-2 lead through the first three minutes of play.
The CAPERS began to play catchup, and a three-pointer from Natasha Roach (Roxboro, Que.) gave Cape Breton their first lead of the game.
The CAPERS then took off throughout the remainder of the quarter and held a 19-11 edge heading into the second.
Acadia began to turn things around in the second frame, as a buzzer-beater three-pointer from Sylvia Sweeney Award Nominee Katie Ross (Bedford, N.S.) put the Axewomen within two at the halfway mark.
The third quarter saw back-and-forth action from both ends of the court, with each squad going basket for basket and the score sitting tied at 52-52 heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation.
With back-and-forth play continuing throughout the opening of the fourth quarter, a three-pointer from Primossi allowed Cape Breton to take the lead. Cape Breton began to pull away to a 68-59 lead with under two minutes remaining in regulation.
The Axewomen were unable to catch the CAPERS lead throughout the final minute of play, allowing Cape Breton to earn the 79-61 victory to claim the 2017 AUS women's basketball title.
The Subway Player of the Game was awarded to Acadia's Marika Vanden Elzen (Mount Brydges, Ont.), while Primossi earned the honour for the Cape Breton. Vanden Elzen recorded 16 points and six rebounds.
Jalynn Skeir (Halifax, N.S.) earned the Wilson's Security Defensive Player of the Game for the CAPERS, while Alexandra Berry (Yarmouth, N.S.) earned the honour for the Axewomen. Skeir recorded six points, one rebound and three assists, while Berry posted 10 points, adding four rebounds and two assists.
AUS second team all-star Colleen Keane (Scarborough, Ont.) was named the championship MVP. Keane recorded 10 points and four assists in Sunday's win.
Keane and AUS MVP Alison Keough (Marion Bridge, N.S.) were both named to the tournament all-star team, along with Acadia's Paloma Anderson (Phoenix, Arizona) and Chanel Smith (Halifax, N.S.), and Saint Mary's Angelina Carvery (Halifax, N.S.).
The CAPERS now advance to the U Sports Women's Basketball Final 8 being hosted by the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C.