CAPERS win second matchup against MUN this weekend

SYDNEY – The Cape Breton University CAPERS (7-2) scored a nail-biting 79-75 victory over the Memorial Sea-Hawks (1-9) Saturday afternoon in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's basketball action at Sullivan Fieldhouse.

Veteran guard Chermensa van la Parra (Rotterdam, Netherlands) scored eight of the CAPERS final 10 points down the stretch to help secure the win in a see-saw battle.

With the teams knotted 7-7 in the first quarter, the visitors launched a 12-0 run – one punctuated by a Laura Murray (St. John's, NL) three-pointer – to take a 19-7 advantage.

Led by Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON), who fashioned a double-double in points and rebounds in the opening 10 minutes, the hometown CAPERS rallied and wrapped up the quarter on a 19-4 burst to take a 25-23 edge.

Early in the second quarter, CBU extended its lead to 32-25.

With Letlow on the bench, the Sea-Hawks responded with a 14-2 run, keyed by veteran Alyssa Jenkins (St. John's, NL) to regain their lead at 39-34.

Memorial led 41-38 heading to the locker room at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Sea-Hawks widened their edge to six points, but the CAPERS rallied in the closing minutes to even the game at 57-57 at the end of the stanza.

On a three-pointer from van la Parra, the CAPERS went up 72-69 in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, a lead the home team would not relinquish.

Letlow led CBU with 18 points and 21 rebounds – both game-highs – while adding three assists and one steal. Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS), the Subway player of the game, posted a double-double – 17 points and 12 rebounds – while collecting three steals. van la Parra, off the bench, chipped in 16 points, highlighted by her crucial scoring effort in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Jenkins, who contributed five rebounds, two assists and two steals, led Memorial with 17 points, while Serena Phillips (St. John's, NL), Brooklyn Martens (Caronport, SK) and Eavan MacLaughlin (Beaverdam, NB) added 12 points apiece. MacLaughlin added a team-high nine rebounds, along with four steals and three assists.

The teams have wrapped the 2024 portion of their AUS regular season schedules.

Both will return to the court on Friday, Jan. 10, with the CAPERS visiting the UNB Reds in Fredericton, while the Sea-Hawks will face the Acadia Axewomen in Wolfville.

Game time for both match-ups is 6 p.m.