Varsity Reds Earn Spot In AUS Title Game

(HALIFAX, NS) The UNB Varsity Reds will play for the Subway Atlantic University Sport men's basketball championship after a 96-83 semi-final win over the Memorial Sea-Hawks on Saturday.

The Varsity Reds were led by AUS MVP, Javon Masters' 20 points, nine assists and three steals, and AUS All-Rookie team member Ibrahima Doumbouya's  14-point and 14-rebound double-double.

Prior to the game, Masters was honoured for becoming the most prolific scorer in U SPORTS history with a career total of 2,407 points in 96 career games played.

The first quarter was tightly contested, with UNB's Jesse Kendall leading the way with six points. Memorial kept it close with balanced scoring from their starting unit, with each starter scoring in the frame.

UNB started to pull away through the first half of the second quarter, holding a 38-25 lead with 3:35 left in the half.

At the half, the Varsity Reds would hold an 11-point lead, 46-35, outscoring the Sea-Hawks 25-16 in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, UNB would push their lead to as many as 15 points, but Memorial rallied, thanks to the determined effort of fifth-year guard Davion Parnsalu, cutting the lead back to nine, 66-57, by the end of the quarter.

UNB would use a run of their own in the fourth to take an 83-67, their largest lead of the game.

Over the final minutes, both teams traded baskets, but UNB would not allow the Sea-Hawks any closer than nine points down the stretch.

The Varsity Reds move on to play the St FX X-Men in Sunday's championship game, at 4:30pm, at the Scotiabank Centre, in Halifax.