Capers wrap up home schedule with thrilling 90-85 overtime win over Sea-Hawks

Capers wrap up home schedule with thrilling 90-85 overtime win over Sea-Hawks

By Corey LeBlanc 

Sydney, NS – In their final home game of the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's basketball regular season, the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (7-6) scored a thrilling 90-85 overtime victory over the Memorial Sea-Hawks (6-6) on Sunday afternoon at Sullivan Fieldhouse. 

With the victory, the Capers extended their winning streak to five games.

"I love the way we are playing right now," veteran guard C.J. Bennett said.

He pointed to rebounding and defense as keys to success.

Before the game, Bennett was one of five seniors – along with Osman Omar (Mississauga, ON), Paul Watson (Mississauga, ON), Ibrahim Gosselin-Diawara (Montreal, QC), and Jason Callaghan (Sydney, NS) – honored for their contributions to CBU basketball, not only on and off the court, but also in the classroom.

The teams were deadlocked 76-76 heading into the five-minute extra session. 

The Capers tallied the first four points, a lay-in by Cooper Ward (Ipswich, AUS) and an acrobatic interior hoop from Tyson Cato (Hamilton, ON).

Cole Long (St. John's NL) answered with a three-pointer, to make it 80-79, and then the Capers increased their edge to 84-79, led by four straight points from Omar, the AUS's leading scorer.

After the Sea-Hawks shaved the lead to one point, Bennett made a pair of foul shots to make it 86-83.

In the final 10 seconds, Boris Ristanovic (Kragujevac, Serbia) – who had a monster game for the visitors – missed on a three-point attempt from the corner, which would have tied the contest 88-88. Off the ensuing possession, Long's contested shot from beyond the arc with just more than five seconds remaining came up with nothing but air.

Omar, as cool as a cucumber, sank two free throws to seal the deal.

In the first quarter, with the exclamation point coming on a dunk from Ristanovic, the Sea-Hawks jumped to a 6-0 lead in the opening three-and-a-half minutes, when CBU head coach Matt Skinn brought his second unit off the bench to provide a spark. 

Keyed by five consecutive points from Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney River, NS), including a corner three-pointer, the Capers responded with a 7-0 burst, which knotted the contest at 9-9.

Later in the stanza, Memorial rattled off five straight points, including a deep shot from downtown just before the shot clock expired by Nathan Barker (Corner Brook, NL), which made it 14-9 for the visitors.

CBU answered with a 7-0 run – led by five points from Bennett – to take a 16-14 edge after the first quarter.

The Capers started the second quarter – once again ignited by the bench – with a 13-7 spurt, which made it 29-21 for the home side.

But, after Miles Fryett (Calgary, AB) canned back-to-back three-pointers for the Sea-Hawks, the lead was trimmed to two – at 29-27.

On the strength of hoops from Diangelo Woodside (New Providence, Bahamas) and Omar – with a deep three-pointer – the Capers took a 35-29 edge to the locker room at halftime.

In the third quarter, the teams traded baskets for the first five minutes, with Ristanovic establishing his presence on the glass and the scoreboard for the Sea-Hawks.

The Capers took their largest lead of the frame – 42-34 – when Omar glided to the basket and banked in an acrobatic left-handed lay-up.

After the Sea-Hawks went on a 15-7 run, the sides were tied 49-49.

CBU scored the final six points of the third, with Omar knifing into the teeth of the 'D' and sinking a floater, and the subsequent foul shot, before finding Bennett for a three-pointer.

The Capers led 55-49 heading to the fourth quarter.

Early in the final stanza, the sides started to heat up from downtown, with a Callaghan basket from beyond the arc giving CBU a 10-point lead – at 60-50.

The Sea-Hawks replied with consecutive threes from Long and Jason Thompson (St. John's, NL) to narrow the deficit to four points.

After Chris Ruta (Calgary, AB) tipped in his miss underneath, the Capers led 67-59 midway through the fourth quarter.

Ristanovic – after checking in moments later – spurred a 12-2 run for Memorial, which gave them a 71-69 lead with less than three minutes remaining in regulation.

He not only scored nine points but also blocked a shot, while Barker sank a corner three-pointer that put the visitors in front.

In a feverish final 90 seconds, Omar stole a Sea-Hawk inbound pass and then fed Gosselin-Diawara, who connected from downtown to give CBU a 73-71 edge.

Devon Thompson answered from downtown to give the Sea-Hawks a 74-73 lead before Bennett deposited a three-pointer to make it 76-74 for the home side.

After Long hit a lay-up to tie the score – once again – neither team could get the game-winning points before the end of regulation.

Omar – the Subway player of the game – and Bennett led the Capers, with 22 points apiece, while Omar also contributed seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot, and Bennett added five rebounds and a steal.

Ristanovic finished with a game-high 27 points while fashioning a double-double with 10 rebounds. He also chipped in four assists, one steal and one blocked shot. 

Long, who the CBU 'D' hounded throughout the weekend, collected a double-double – 14 points and 11 rebounds – along with five assists, two steals and two blocked shots, while Barker scored 14 while adding seven rebounds. 

When Bennett was asked about the five-game run, he said it has been a total team effort.

"We are playing with more confidence," he offered while noting that the "energy" they are putting out has been crucial to CBU playing at a "high level."

The Capers will return to action on Friday, March 4, when they travel to Fredericton to tip-off against the UNB Reds, while the Sea-Hawks will face the Saint Mary's Huskies in Halifax on Saturday, March 5.

Game time for both match-ups is 8 p.m. AST (8:30 p.m. NT).

-30-