Reds edge Capers in AUS men’s basketball action

Reds edge Capers in AUS men's basketball action

By Corey LeBlanc

Sydney, N.S. – In a see-saw thriller down the stretch, the visiting UNB Reds (5-4) scored an 83-77 victory over the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (2-6) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's basketball action at Sullivan Field House on Saturday afternoon.

After a fast-paced opening couple minutes, the sides were tied 5-5.

Off a nine-point run, one keyed by a shot from downtown and an old-fashioned three-point play from Sterling Simpson (Fredericton, N.B.), the Reds jumped to a 14-5 edge.

After fifth-year forward Tyrell Leotaud (Ajax, ON) knifed through the CBU defense for a sparkling lay-in, UNB took its first double-digit lead – at 18-7.

The home side finished the opening 10 minutes with an 11-2 burst, sparked by five consecutive points – including a basket from beyond the arc, from Jason Callaghan (Sydney, N.S.) to make it 20-18.

Early in the second quarter, the teams exchanged hoops, highlighted by a fast-break lay-up for CBU all-star guard Osman Omar (Mississauga, ON).

Ignited by eight points from Norm Burry (Grafton, ON), the Reds regained their double-figure edge – at 34-24 – by midway through the second stanza.

On the strength of a powerful interior basket from Diangelo Woodside (New Providence, Bahamas) and an Omar shot from downtown, the Capers reduced the deficit to four points by the closing seconds of the first half.

Fifth-year guard Chris Spurrell (Quispamsis, N.B.) drained a three-pointer to give the Reds a 44-37 edge heading to the locker room.

In a feverish start to the third quarter, on four consecutive possessions – two apiece for each team – three-pointers were scored; CJ Bennett (Brampton, ON) and Callaghan for the Capers, while the veterans Leotaud and Spurrell hit for UNB.  

By halfway through the stanza, after a steal and lay-up from Leotaud, the Reds' edge mushroomed to 63-50.

Only 11 points were scored in the final half of the third quarter, with UNB holding a 67-57 lead at the final buzzer.

In the fourth quarter, Callaghan brought the crowd to its feet with a spinning jumper in the lane – as the shot clock sounded – to make it 68-60 for the Reds.

After a Burry basket, Callaghan – on a similar move in the paint – drained another hoop.

With an Omar lay-up, the Capers trimmed the deficit to 70-64 – with seven minutes remaining in regulation – and the Reds took a timeout.

Down 70-65, Omar blazed into the paint and made an acrobatic lay-up, but he was called for an offensive foul, and the score stayed at 70-65 for UNB. On the ensuing sequence, freshman Rees Hasson (Fredericton, N.B.) silenced the partisan home crowd with a three-point bomb.

After a nifty dish from Cooper Ward (Ipswich, AUS) to Omar for a lay-in, followed by an interior hoop from the sophomore forward, the Capers sliced the Reds' advantage to 73-71 with four minutes remaining.

Less than one minute later, Omar knotted the contest, with a reverse lay-up along the baseline, and then gave the Capers a 75-73 edge with a pair of foul shots.

Burry, with a shot from beyond the arc, and Spurrell – with a drive to the basket – gave the Reds a 78-75 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Off a missed three-point attempt from Omar, Ward corralled the offensive rebound and was fouled, but he missed both free throws and the UNB razor-thin edge remained at one point – 78-77.

On the next play, Burry was fouled and made one out of two foul shots to give UNB a two-point advantage with just more than 30 seconds remaining.

After an air-tight defensive sequence from the Capers, with only three seconds left on the shot clock, Leotaud heaved a desperation three-pointer that caught the rim, and Burry was able to collect the offensive rebound amidst a trio of Capers and was fouled. He made both shots from the charity stripe to extend the UNB lead to 81-77 with 10 seconds left in regulation.

On a missed three-pointer from Omar, Spurrell secured the defensive board and then made the ensuing free throws – after he was fouled – to seal the deal.

Burry, the Subway player of the game, led four Reds in double figures, with 23 points, while adding nine rebounds and two assists.

Spurrell finished with 19, while Reese Zorogole (Halifax, N.S.) and Leotaud finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

For the Capers, Omar scored a game-high 29 points, while chipping in seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal, while Callaghan added 20, four rebounds, and two steals.

CBU will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 28, when they welcome the Saint Mary's Huskies, while the Reds have finished the 2021 portion of their AUS regular season schedule.

-30-