BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

The Acadia basketball Axemen continue to impress.

The Axemen ran their regular season winning streak to nine games with a relatively easy weekend sweep of the UNB Varsity Reds in Fredericton.

Acadia, undefeated at 4-0 in regular season play since January 1, won 102-69 January 12, then completed the sweep with a 105-59 romp January 13.

Saturday, Shawn Berry led six Axemen in double figures with 19 points and added seven rebounds. Paulo Santana added 16 points and seven boards as Acadia shot 63.6 per cent from the floor in the first half and 56.5 per cent overall. Achuil Lual, Luckern Dieu, Leo Saintil and Andrew Kraus had 11 points apiece, with Saintil collecting 12 rebounds and Lual 10 as Acadia won the rebounding battle 48-20.

Sunday, Saintil had a game-high 29 points and 16 rebounds as the Axemen won going away. Acadia led 30-5 after one quarter and 56-28 at halftime.

Ironically, Santana, who was in foul trouble, was the only Acadia player not to score. Peter Leighton (14 points, including a pair of threes), Alex Traikov (14 points), Berry, Dieu and Kraus (10 points apiece) all managed double figures in scoring. Dieu added 10 rebounds to join Saintil with a “double-double” in scoring and rebounding.

The wins improved Acadia’s regular season record to nine wins and one loss, still second behind Cape Breton, which had played one more game. The Axemen have a better record than the Capers (9-2), but Cape Breton’s extra game was a four-point win.

Acadia and Cape Breton are scheduled to meet head-to-head this Sunday afternoon in Wolfville. The Axemen host UPEI Saturday evening.

Acewomen split

The Axewomen split their weekend games with UNB, winning 64-62 Saturday and dropping a 70-52 decision Sunday.

Saturday, Brianne Ozimok had 17 points and eight rebounds as Acadia hung on for the win. (The Axewomen, ahead virtually the entire game, led 25-21 after one quarter, 37-28 at halftime and 54-45 after three quarters).

Marrla Evans (16 points), Becky Mutch (12 points) and Jennifer Bishop (10 points, seven rebounds) also reached double figures for Acadia.

Sunday, as had been the case in Wolfville before Christmas, UNB bounced back to gain the split. The Reds put the game away with a 22-11 second quarter and a 23-12 third quarter, enough to withstand an 18-13 Acadia edge in the final 10 minutes.

Mutch, with 15 points, was the only Acadia player in double figures.

The weekend split improved Acadia to four wins and six losses, a fourth-place tie with UNB with a game in hand.

The Axewomen are next in action this weekend with a two-point game against UPEI and a four-point matchup with Cape Breton.