Hoop Axemen, Axewomen score important wins at UPEI

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

The playoff fortunes of both Acadia basketball teams got a lot brighter last weekend following important wins on PEI.

The Axemen and Axewomen took on the UPEI Panthers Feb. 13 in a pair of four-point games with real implications on the AUBC standings. When all was said and done, the Axewomen won 78-63 and the Axemen 87-84.

In the women’s game, Acadia had a 28-9 lead after one quarter and still led 42-30 at halftime, despite being outscored 21-14 in the second quarter. The Axewomen won the third quarter 24-17 for a 66-47 lead after 30 minutes. UPEI won the fourth quarter 16-12, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Keisha Brown led four Acadia players in double figures with 20 points, including a pair of three-pointers, and added eight rebounds. Sondra Medley finished with 17 points and a game-high 10 boards, Stefanie Chapman also had 17, and Emma Duinker 11 and six rebounds.

Acadia shot 49.3 per cent from the floor in the game (to 37.3 per cent for UPEI), and had a 40-21 edge in overall rebounding.

In the men’s game, the Axemen outscored UPEI 22-9 in the fourth quarter to score a come-from-behind win. Acadia trailed 25-19 after one quarter, 50-39 at halftime, 75-65 after three quarters and 82-71 with 5:53 to play before outscoring the Panthers 16-2 the rest of the way.

Justin Boutilier continued his solid play of late with 20 points and 10 rebounds for a “double-double.” Casey Fox also finished with 20 points, including four three-pointers, and Alex Traikov also had a “double-double” with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Acadia shot 53.3 per cent in the second half.

The win by the Axewomen improved their record to six wins and 12 losses (and 6-4 following an 0-8 start to the season). More importantly, the four points moved Acadia into a fifth-place tie with UNB, eight points ahead of SMU and UPEI, tied for seventh.

The Axemen win improved their record to 6-11, with three regular season games remaining. Acadia was alone in sixth place with 16 points, six ahead of seventh-place Memorial and eight up on eighth-place UNB.

Both Acadia teams are next in action Feb. 19, when they host St. F.X.