Panthers’ dominant second half leads to convincing 79-56 win over Cape Breton
The UPEI Panthers couldn’t have asked for a better start to their season.
By Thomas Becker
The UPEI Panthers couldn't have asked for a better start to their season.
From an offensive and defensive perspective, the Panthers (1-0) put together a complete effort as they took down the Cape Breton Capers 79-56.
Four different Panthers reached double figures with Lauren Rainford leading the charge. The third-year guard recorded 23 points, eight rebounds, five steals, and three assists. Devon Lawlor provided a spark off the bench and finished with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, while Karla Yepez and Alicia Bowering scored 12 apiece.
In her return to the lineup, Yepez showcased the complete package, adding six assists, six steals, four rebounds, and four blocks to her impressive stat line.
"We're a defence-first team, and when we took care of the details on the defensive side, we did really well for stretches of the game," Yepez said.
UPEI was simply unstoppable in the opening five minutes, where they jumped all over the Capers (0-1) for a 16-0 advantage. Cape Breton's first two points came off free throws from Chermensa van la Parra, which helped the team gain some confidence heading into the second quarter down 26-13.
After a rough start to the game, reigning Rookie of the Year Kiyara Letlow showed off her ability to score with ease in the low post to pull her team closer. The forward nearly matched the Panthers' 13 second-quarter points with nine of her own. She also got help from teammate Hannah Smith who scored all six of her points in the frame, as the Capers cut it to 39-36 at the break.
"We had a game plan, and at times during the second quarter we couldn't execute. So, we just went in, revisited the game plan, and then took care of what we needed to," Yepez said.
Frustrated with how the half ended, the home team responded with a dominant second half where they outscored the Capers 40-20. Lawlor was sensational in the third and fourth quarters, scoring seven and nine points on six-of-seven shooting.
While the offence hummed for most of the night, it was UPEI's stifling defence that proved to be the difference in the convincing 79-56 win. In the final two quarters alone, the Panthers held Cape Breton to 34.7 per cent shooting with just two three-pointers allowed.
Letlow was the high-point woman for the Capers with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double, while Leandra Hersey finished with 16 points on four-of-seven from three in the loss.
The two teams face off against each other again Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Photo Credit: Janessa Hogan
