(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) – The CIS No. 10-ranked Acadia Axemen improve to 8-3 with a 77-60 victory over the visiting 4-8 Cape Breton Capers in the first of two four-point games scheduled this week.
Subway Player of the Game AJ Simmonds netted 17 points and six rebounds in the win, while teammates Anthony Sears and Owen Klassen added 15 and 14 points respectively with Klassen pulling down seven rebounds.
A fast-paced first quarter saw the Axemen come out with an 18-14 edge in opening the quarter, with both teams playing strong defence and shooting the ball well.
Acadia stretched the lead to 34-28 in a slower driven quarter, behind excellent leadership from second-year point guard AJ Simmonds. Simmonds posted 11 points in the second quarter alone and recorded only two turnovers on the night.
The Axemen continued to lead after three quarters of play, but Cape Breton kept it within single digits, thanks in part to Sean McCormick who had six in the third and 13 on the night.
Cape Breton pulled to within one at the 4:30 mark on a three-point play by Arild Geugjes who scored on the fouled layup and added the free throw. On the next possession, second-year forward Shaquille Smith drained a three-pointer that erupted the crowd and took the wind out of Cape Breton's sails. Acadia went on to win 77-60.
Subway Player of the Game for Cape Breton, Cedric Kasongo, had 15 in the loss and added eight rebounds.
The Axemen next take on Saint Mary's in a four-point matchup in a rescheduled game on Tuesday in Halifax, before traveling to UNB for a pair of games next weekend. Cape Breton heads to Dalhousie tomorrow and then hosts Memorial next weekend in a pair of games in Sydney, N.S.
Source: Ashley Hasler for Acadia Sports Information