SYDNEY, NS - The No. 1-seeded Cape Breton Capers bounced back from a 14-point deficit at one point in the first half to defeat their perennial rival - No. 2-seeded StFX X-Men, 94-77 in the 2010 Subway AUS Men's Basketball Championship final in front of 4,261 fans at Centre 200, Sunday afternoon in Sydney, NS.
Cape Breton 94, StFX 77
The Atlantic University Sport championship victory ends a drought that began after the CBU men won back-to-back AUS titles in 1993-94 and 1994-95. The last time the Capers reached a championship final was 2005-06, when they were dropped 83-72 by the X-Men.
The Capers now advance to the 2010 CIS Final 8 Men's Basketball Championship hosted by Carleton University at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Friday until Sunday.
Sunday's tilt saw CBU down 38-24 at one point in the second quarter, after which Capers head coach Jim Charters called a time out. His men responded with runs of seven and six points respectively.
The teams were tied 41-41 late in the second stanza, but StFX's William Silver hit a three-point shot to put the Antigonish university up 44-41 heading into the second half.
The Capers opened the third quarter with three-point shots from both Paris Carter and Tremaine Fraser, to give CBU the 47-44 lead. The teams then battled back and forth, tying the game three more times in the third frame, before CBU pulled ahead slightly, 66-62 at the end of 30 minutes.
The Capers never again relinquished the lead, outscoring the X-Men 28-15 in the final quarter, led by Jimmy Dorsey, who scored 13 points, including three three-pointers, in the final frame. He led the CBU men with a game-high 35 points and was named the Alexander Keith's Tournament MVP.
Following Dorsey were Paris Carter potting 23 points, Scott Jaspers-Fayer scoring 14 points, and Phil Nkrumah adding 11 points and 18 rebounds. Paris was named the Subway Player of the Game.
Leading the X-Men offence were Jeremy Dunn recording 22 points, AUS MVP Christian Upshaw, who was good for 20 points, and Silver chipping in 14 points.
The Capers posted a 76-60 win over the Dalhousie Tigers in the first of two semifinal games, Saturday. The second semifinal saw the the X-Men down the Saint Mary's Huskies in a wild 79-78 finish.
In a heartbreaking finish for the Huskies, St. FX's Upshaw hit two of three free-throws with no time left on the clock for the victory. This was after Joey Haywood was called on a disputed foul while Upshaw was firing a three-pointer.
Source:
AUS