Sydney, N.S. – The host Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (4-6) scored an 81-73 victory over the Acadia Axemen (1-8) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) regular season basketball action on Friday night at Sullivan Fieldhouse.
In a back-and-forth first quarter, the Capers jumped to an early nine-point edge – at 18-9.
On the strength of outside shooting, including from veteran guard Brett Speedy (Fredericton, N.B.), the Axemen finished on an 11-5 spurt, but the Capers were up 23-20 after the first quarter.
After Osman Omar – the conference's leading scorer – meshed five consecutive points – including a three-point play, after completing a nifty left-handed drive, and a reverse baseline lay-up from a stellar C.J. Bennett (Brampton, ON) pass – the Capers took an eight-point edge early in the second stanza.
With seven straight points from Alex Muise (Bedford, N.S.), including a basket from downtown, the Axemen pulled within one point – at 34-33.
In the final minute, the sides traded baskets, with CBU taking a 36-35 advantage to the locker room at halftime.
Sparked by the aggressiveness and power of Subway player of the game Cooper Ward (Ipswich, AUS), who muscled down the lane for a lefty lay-up and then made a sweeping bank shot in the paint, the Capers stretched their edge to 44-37 early in the third quarter.
After Ryan Munro (Timberlea, N.S.) of Acadia and Jason Callaghan (Sydney, N.S.) of CBU exchanged three-pointers midway through the frame, the Capers led 51-43.
Keyed by five more points from Callaghan, including a turn-around jumper off the drive in the final seconds, along with a lay-up and blocked shot from Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney River, N.S.), CBU took a double-digit edge – 57-47 – to the fourth quarter.
Early in the final 10 minutes, after the Axemen trimmed the lead to eight points, the Capers ramped up the 'D' with Omar causing a turnover and then spilling out and taking a lead pass for an uncontested lay-up. Seconds later, he became the playmaker – after he and Callaghan forced a cough up with a trap – feeding Bennett for another lay-up to make it 66-54, and Acadia took a timeout.
With less than five minutes remaining, Speedy drained a corner three-pointer for the Axemen to slice the deficit to 66-60.
A couple minutes later, on a strong drive to the tin by Eli Kraushar (Halifax, NS), the visitors made it a one-possession game, with the Capers ahead 70-67.
Acadia could not get any closer, as Omar led the way as he and his teammates sealed the deal from the charity stripe.
Omar finished with a game-high 23 points, while chipping in four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Ward fashioned a double-double – 17 points and 11 rebounds – along with contributing three assists. Bennett, who also finished with 17 points, added three rebounds, three steals and one assist.
For the Axemen, Speedy – off the bench – meshed a team-high 21 points, while Muise finished with 19. Kraushar – with 10 points and 11 rebounds – had a double-double, while Rowan Power (Dartmouth, NS) contributed 10 points.
Because of the truncated season – due to COVID-19 pandemic health guidelines that were recently lifted – every team will make the AUS playoff tournament.
The rematch between the teams is set for Sunday, Feb. 20 at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wolfville.
Tip-off is 3 p.m.
By Corey LeBlanc, CBU Athletics Communications