Huskies late comeback secures fourth straight win, 96-91 over Capers
HALIFAX, NS – The Saint Mary's Huskies outscored the Cape Breton Capers 24-10 over the last 5:36 of the fourth quarter to secure their fourth straight win, 96-91 in Atlantic University Sport Men's basketball action on Friday night at the Homburg Centre in Halifax.
The Huskies were led by Player-of-the-Game Shae Linton-Brown (Toronto, ON), whose 31 points and clutch free-throws (5-6 3PT, 14-14 FT) helped close out a comeback, featuring a 14-0 fourth quarter rally. Huskies guard Marc-Denault Gabriel (Montreal, QC) came up huge with a crucial double-double that featured 22 points and 17 rebounds, seven of which came in the final quarter.
The Capers struck first and immediately, with a won tip-off from forward Jamal Cadore (Toronto, ON) producing a layup from forward Tyson Cato (St. Catharines, ON). However, the Huskies heated up, attacking Capers sharpshooter Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney NS), with jumpers from guards Linton-Brown, Gabriel, and Jonas Maerz (Rosenheim, Germany). A couple of missed dunks from the Capers and a layup from Gabriel had the Huskies in front 11-4, before Gabriel teamed up with forward Jonah Crowther (Dartmouth, NS) for an offensive rebound and putback for a 20-11 advantage. The Huskies nearly ran it back, with guard Devawn White (Montreal, QC) and Gabriel diving into the offensive paint for a loose ball, but the Capers recovered, and sent the ball to an open Cato for another layup to keep within striking distance. Linton-Brown's windmill layup put the Huskies ahead 23-15 in the trailing seconds of the quarter, nearly bolstered at the buzzer by a rim-out, halfcourt heave from Maerz off of a contested rebound from guard Tjark Lademacher (Lüneburg, Germany).
The Capers opened the second quarter in style, with guard Stefan Anisko (Mississauga, ON) crushing a pair of alley-oops from guards Ceejay Hanson (Manchester, UK) and Shakael Pryce (Pickering, ON), respectively. Then, Cato sliced through the Huskies for the hoop and the harm, cutting the lead to 26-23 and forcing a timeout. The Huskies lead quickly evaporated with two Pryce jumpers and a horizontal lefty and-one. But Linton-Brown's consecutive, iron-free, back-to-back threes sparked the Huskies. After finding Maerz for another triple, Linton-Brown approached a double screen at the top of the key and decided it was easier to swish a heat check three, before assisting Maerz for another.
The Capers called timeout down 41-35, only to be sandwiched by another Maerz three, before Mersereau responded in kind with his first and second of the evening. To close the half, Mersereau salvaged a broken play with a turnaround fadeaway. Huskies maintained a 51-47 advantage, with Linton-Brown and Maerz combining for 33 points on 8-10 shooting from deep.
The early minutes of the third were somehow scoreless before Mersereau banked in a runner. However, with post presences Cadore and Huskies forward Jackson Enyinna (Port Harcourt, Nigeria) heading to the bench, both teams began finishing at the rim. An and-one from Pryce off the dribble against Linton-Brown was part of a quick Capers run that motivated Enyinna's return to the game, and he delivered with his own basket-plus-the-foul to regain a 62-59 Huskies lead. However, the Capers quenched Linton-Brown at the rim, generating transition opportunities, including a Pryce three that commanded a Huskies timeout, trailing 67-63. Out of the timeout Linton-Brown went back to basics with a sidestep three, and Lademacher had a full-palm stuff into transition, giving the Huskies an opportunity to retake the lead. However, they turned it over and committed a clear path foul instead, giving the Capers two free-throws and possession. Despite the Huskies forcing an end-of-shot clock miss in the dying seconds of the third, Capers guard Aaron Cunningham (Shelburne, ON) found himself alone in the paint for a devastating offensive rebound and layup, giving them their largest lead of the game heading into the fourth, 73-66.
The Huskies opened the final frame with another clear-path foul, but the Capers struggled to pull away, with offensive rebounds and trips to the line from Gabriel buoying the Huskies. But Capers guard Jahnian Simmonds (Lower Sackville, NS) lifted their spirits with a sweeping crossover in the paint for an easy two. But Huskies guard Jayrell Diggs (East Preston, NS) won a confrontation at elevation with Anisko for a three-point play, and Gabriel grabbed another loose ball in the Capers paint for a chip in, cutting their deficit to 81-79. The Capers were called for a foul and technical foul, and the Huskies to the lead on the free throws. Meanwhile, Gabriel kept gobbling up rebounds, and another floating finish from Diggs capped a 14-0 Huskies run, culminating in a Capers timeout. An ensuing quadruplet of Caper free throws, and a forced shot violation on defence, narrowed the Huskies lead to 86-85. Undeterred, Diggs dug deep, producing another layup before an acrobatic fling while falling out of bounds intended to ricochet off of the Capers to retain possession. On the ensuing inbound, Simmonds fouled out trying to steal the ball from Linton-Brown, who calmly cashed the foul shots, stole the ball, and dished it to Lademacher for a dagger.
The Capers did their best to grind out the game by sending Huskies to the line, but Linton-Brown made four more free throws. 96-91 was the final difference.
The Huskies were led in scoring by Player-of-the-Game Shae Linton-Brown, who had 31 points (5-6 3PT, 14-14 FT) four assists, and two steals. Marc-Denault Gabriel had another double double with 22 points (10-18 FG), 17 rebounds, and 2 steals. Jayrell Diggs had nine of his 17 points in the Huskies' decisive fourth quarter comeback.
Shakael Pryce stuffed the stat sheet for the Capers, pouring in 35 points (10-20 FG, 4-12 3PT, 11-12 FT) alongside nine rebounds, seven assists, and five steals. Tyson Cato added 19 points (7-12 FG), four rebounds, and two steals.
The Huskies win improved their record to 6-6 on the season, while the Capers dropped to 6-78. The two teams will face off again on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Homburg Centre.
Recap by Dr. Casper Macaulay / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics