Hoop Axemen improve to 14-2

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

There probably aren’t too many second-place teams around sporting 14-2 records, but that was where the Acadia basketball Axemen found themselves at the start of the week.

The Axemen improved to 14-2 with a 97-83 win over the Dalhousie Tigers Feb. 10 in Wolfville, but a quirk in the schedule that sees three of their final four games worth four points each left them still second, six points behind the Cape Breton Capers.

Entering Acadia’s four-point matchup with St. F.X. Feb. 12 at War Memorial Gymnasium, the Axemen trailed the 14-3 Capers 40 points to 34.

Cape Breton had played one more game than Acadia, but they had also completed all their four-point contests for the season, winning six and losing two.

Acadia’s four remaining games, including the four-pointer with St. F.X. and two four-point games this weekend at Memorial, had the potential for 14 additional points for the Axemen - should they win them all.

If that’s the case, Acadia would finish first by two points - even if the Capers manage to win all their remaining games (one against St. F.X. and two at Saint Mary’s).

February 10, the Axemen kept control of their own destiny, dominating the first three quarters en route to their fourth straight win of the season over Dal.

Leo Saintil finished with 33 points and 15 rebounds for Acadia, but it was Shawn Berry, with 31 points on 10-11 shooting from the floor, 5-6 from three-point range and 6-6 at the foul line; who nabbed Player of the Game honours. Paulo Santana with 12 points also reached double figures for Acadia, which led 25-23 after one quarter, 55-44 at halftime and 80-61 after three quarters before the Tigers mounted a fourth-quarter drive to pull within 14 at the buzzer.

Dal shot a more-than-respectable 47.5 per cent (19-40) from the floor in the first half, but was no match for Acadia, which shot an incredible 22-26 (84.6 per cent) in the first half and 61.4 per cent overall. Acadia also won the rebounding battle 39-26.

Axewomen run on Dal, can’t catch win

In women’s action, Acadia dropped a 57-52 decision to the Tigers to fall to 6-10 on the season. The Axewomen led 22-12 midway through the second quarter, only to have Dal go on a 17-5 run to lead 29-27 at halftime.

Dal won the third quarter by two points, and led by as many as 12 in the fourth quarter before withstanding an 11-2 run by Acadia to hold on for a five-point win.

Becky Mutch led Acadia with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Brianne Osimok returned from injury to add 14 points and 11 boards.

After hosting St. F.X. Feb. 12, both Acadia teams travel to Newfoundland for a pair of games with Memorial this weekend before finishing off the season Feb. 23 at home against UPEI.