CAPERS edge Panthers 70-68 in see-saw battle

CAPERS edge Panthers 70-68 in see-saw battle

SYDNEY – In a last-second, nail-biter, the Cape Breton University (CBU) CAPERS defeated the UPEI  Panthers 70-68 in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's basketball action Friday evening on their home court at Sullivan Fieldhouse.

Trailing by two points, with a chance to take a game-winning three-pointer before the buzzer, CBU defender Aaron Cunningham (Shelburne, ON) stole the ball from Kyree Thompson (North Preston, NS) to seal the victory.

After the teams traded baskets in the early moments, The CAPERS jumped to an 18-10 edge in the first quarter, keyed by nine points – including a pair of three-pointers, from Tafarian Black (Scarborough, ON).

Led by Daniel Gonzalez-Longarela (Madrid, Spain), UPEI answered and trimmed the deficit to 24-21 heading into the second quarter.

In that stanza, CBU started on a 9-3 burst – one punctuated by a deep shot from beyond the arc from Shakael Pryce (Pickering, ON) – to take a 33-24 edge.

The CAPERS extended their lead to double digits, but the Panthers pecked away at the 11-point margin.

A last-minute three-pointer from Daren Clarke (Ancaster, ON) narrowed the UPEI deficit to eight points, with CBU leading 39-31 heading to the locker room at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Panthers outscored the CAPERS 26-13 to take a 57-52 advantage heading down the stretch; UPEI scored the final five points to carry the edge into the fourth quarter.

The sides traded offensive punches in the final 10 minutes, with each taking short-lived leads.

Pryce gave the CAPERS a 61-59 lead with a three-pointer.

A short time later, Gonzalez-Longarela stole the ball from Pryce and drove for a lay-up to knot the contest at 63-63.

The Panthers had consecutive three-point shots that would have given them the lead in the final minute, but they came up empty, with the CAPERS clinging to their two-point edge.

Pryce led a balanced CBU attack with 14 points, while adding five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Tyson Cato (St. Catharines, ON), the CBU Subway player of the game, meshed 12 points – on six-for-seven from the field – and collected five rebounds. Stefan Anisko (Mississauga, ON) also hit double figures with 10 points. SK Kasamba (St. Catharines, ON), off the bench, chipped in nine points, six rebounds and four assists.

Scott led the Panthers with a game-high 19 points, while contributing five rebounds and three steals. Gonzalez-Longarela fashioned a double-double – 11 points and 10 rebounds – and added three steals and two assists. Thompson, off the bench, sparked the UPEI offense with 12 points.

The Panthers will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 23, when they tip off versus the host STFX X-Men in Antigonish, while the CAPERS will welcome the Memorial Sea-Hawks to Sydney on Friday, Nov. 29.

Start time for both match-ups is 8 p.m.