Depth, consistency keys to success for hoop Axemen

Prior to the season, I anticipated the Acadia basketball Axemen would be a force to contend with in the AUBC.

I haven’t been disappointed – or surprised.

With five regular games remaining, Acadia’s 13-2 is a close second to Cape Breton.

The Axemen dropped their season opener to Saint Mary’s, then rattled off 11 wins in a row before losing 66-53 to the first-place Capers Jan. 26. Coming when a win would have meant sole possession of first place, it was the kind of loss that could have left a team demoralized and prone to an even longer losing streak.

Instead, the Axemen took to the court the very next afternoon in Antigonish and played arguably their best game of the season in a 92-63 pasting of St. F.X.

Acadia’s ability to bounce back, and so emphatically, against a team like the X-men tells me this Axemen team is for real.

But so, apparently, are the Capers. The weekend in question also told me something about them.

Entering play this weekend, Acadia has five games left - home games with Dal and St. F.X., two four-point games at winless Memorial and a home game against UPEI. That’s 16 points up for grabs if the Axemen should run the table - certainly not a sure thing, but a good possibility given the kind of season they are having.

The Tigers, X-men and Panthers have yet to defeat Acadia this season (both Dal and UPEI have had three tries), and, as for Memorial, the 0-14 SeaHawks haven’t beaten anyone so far.

The Capers, meanwhile, have a four-pointer left with UPEI before hosting St. F.X. and finishing up with a pair of games at SMU. That’s 10 points if Cape Breton should win all four, but you have to think at least the final three will likely be real tests.

It appears the Axemen have a slight edge in their remaining schedule, not to mention having a game in hand. The Capers have been slightly ahead for most of the season, but their advantage has been somewhat artificial.

The Axemen have been solid at both ends of the court. They have averaged 82 points per game and allowed just 68, and have won in every conceivable way – perimeter shooting, rebounding and pounding the ball inside.

The best thing Acadia has going for it is the depth on its roster: at least nine deep; and give up little if anything with the likes of Peter Leighton, Pat McIver, Luckern Dieu, James Burke and Alex Traikov coming off the bench.

They may not be any better than Cape Breton, especially on defense, but when the chips are down – maybe in a head-to-head conference final – my money is on Acadia.