WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Axemen basketball team battled through a fourth quarter comeback and overtime period to top the visiting Cape Breton Capers 87-79 on African Heritage Night.
Prior to the game, Acadia University saluted its past athletes of African descent for the seventh year in a row with the help of the visiting Cape Breton Capers.
Pulling out to an 11-4 lead after nearly five minutes of play, the Capers allowed the Axemen to work back to an 11-11 tie with under four minutes remaining in the opening frame. Shaquille Smith (North Preston) and Erik Nissen (Quispamsis, N.B.) teamed up to tie the game at 13 on two separate layups for points by each.
Down 18-14 after one quarter, Acadia struggled to close the gap with the margin at its greatest at 30-18 with 6:45 remaining in the half.
Trailing 44-32 after the opening half, the Axemen took their first lead with 4:01 remaining in the third quarter when AJ Simmonds (Dartmouth, N.S.) drained a shot from the distant arc.
The lead would spread to 55-47 in the closing seconds of the third quarter and remain so until Caper Cedric Kasongo (Welland, Ont.) tied the game at 69 with under a minute remaining in regulation time.
Layups by Axeman Erik Nissen and Caper Meshak Lufile (Burlington, Ont.) in the final seconds would tie the game at 71, forcing the rubber-match to head into overtime.
A 9-0 run by the Axemen in the extra time, pushed Acadia's lead to 80-71 with 2:05 remaining in the additional period
After a Jack MacAulay (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) three point basket that closed the gap to 82-76, Cape Breton was unable to capitalize on several open shots. Sending Arseneault and Miller to the line in the closing 25 seconds, the Capers were powerless to close the lead, eventually losing the overtime period 16-8 and the game.
"The guys started to make plays in the second half and obviously in the third quarter by holding them (Cape Breton) to three points – unlikely to happen very often. We came out with more energy and it was another group effort. AJ (Simmonds) kept us in it for the first half and Kyle (Arseneault) helped us a lot in the second", commented head coach Kevin Duffie.
Caper Subway Player of the Game Cedric Kasongo posted a team high 17 points while teammates MacAulay and Kenny Jean-Louis (Montreal, Que.) each had 15 points. Meshak Lufile pulled in 12 rebounds and added 11 points.
Kyle Arseneault (Fredericton, N.B.) had a game high 24 points. Ben Miller (Winnipeg, Man.), named the Subway Player of the Game, posted 12 timely points and nine rebounds. Erik Nissen pulled in 8 rebounds and netted 11 points. Perimeter specialist Nick De Palma (Bedford, N.S.) had 13 points, 12 of which came from the 3 point arc.
While out-rebounded 55-42 by the Capers, Acadia capitalized on points from turnovers with 25 compared to Cape Breton's seven.
Acadia head to Saint Mary's this Friday while the 7-8 Capers travel to first place Dalhousie on Friday followed by Saturday's match up with Saint Mary's.