CAPERS open regular season with home win over REDS 

By Corey LeBlanc  

SYDNEY – The Cape Breton University (CBU) CAPERS (1-0) tipped off the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's basketball regular season with a 69-60 victory over the UNB REDS (0-1) on Friday night at the Sullivan Fieldhouse.  

In a turnover-filled first quarter – one that featured anemic shooting from the field for both sides – the CAPERS jumped to an 11-2 advantage.  

The REDS replied with an 8-0 burst to wrap up the opening 10 minutes and trailed 11-10. 

After the teams were knotted 13-13 early in the second quarter, the CAPERS went on a 24-9 run – one keyed by three-pointers from Chermensa van la Parra (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Tanila Marshall (Chicago, IL) and Hannah Smith (Bedford, NS), along with the interior play of All-Canadian Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) – to balloon their lead to 37-22. 

The hometown CAPERS – led by van la Parra's sizzling 18-point opening half – led 43-24 heading to the locker room. 

The REDS, led by veteran Katie Butts (Ottawa, ON) – with six points and nine rebounds, were strong on the glass, finishing the first half with nine on the offensive end. 

In the second half, Butts came out firing and the REDS, who were also sparked by Ann Bastien (Terrebonne, QC), tried to carve into the deficit but they could not shrink it to double digits. And, after a timely basket from the beyond the arc from Smith, the CAPERS led 50-34. 

CBU took a 54-41 advantage to the fourth quarter. 

In the final stanza, Butts and Maheva Ngassam (Saint Hubert, QC) were forces on the glass and taking it to the hoop for the REDS, but the CAPERS' edge hovered at nine points or double figures, as the teams traded points. 

On the strength of seven consecutive points from Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS) – her only points of the game – CBU led 62-51. 

But, the REDS answered. After an old-fashioned three-point play from Butts, tonight's player of the game for UNB, and a drive to the hoop buy Bastien, they pulled within five points – at 65-60. 

On the next possession, with a hand in her face, Smith drained a three-pointer to give the home side some breathing room. The player of the game in the victory also added a blocked shot and steal down the stretch. 

van la Parra led the CAPERS with 22 points, while chipping in seven assists and four rebounds. Letlow finished with a double-double – 16 points and 10 rebounds.  

Butts topped the REDS with a game-high 24 points, while finishing the double-double with 14 rebounds, also the most in the contest. Ngassam finished with a double-double – 10 points and 13 rebounds – while Bastien hit double figures with 10 points. 

The CAPERS and REDS will return to action Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m. ADT, at Sullivan Fieldhouse. 

-30-