(SYDNEY, NS) In a see-saw thriller, the visiting UNB REDS scored an 83-77 victory over the Cape Breton Capers in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon.
After a fast-paced opening couple minutes, the sides were tied 5-5.
Off a nine-point run, one keyed by a shot from downtown and an old-fashioned three-point play from Sterling Simpson (Fredericton, NB), the REDS jumped to a 14-5 edge.
Then fifth-year forward Tyrell Leotaud (Ajax, ON) knifed through the CBU defense for a sparkling lay-in, and UNB took its first double-digit lead at 18-7.
The home side finished the opening 10 minutes with an 11-2 burst, sparked by five consecutive points, including a basket from beyond the arc by Jason Callaghan (Sydney, NS), to make it 20-18.
Early in the second quarter the teams exchanged hoops, highlighted by a fast-break lay-up for CBU's Osman Omar (Mississauga, ON).
Ignited by eight points from Norm Burry (Grafton, NB), the REDS regained their double-figure edge at 34-24 midway through the second.
The Capers reduced the deficit to four points by the closing seconds of the first half.
Chris Spurrell (Quispamsis, NB) drained a three-pointer to give the REDS a 44-37 edge heading to the locker room.
In a feverish start to the third quarter, on four consecutive possessions, two apiece for each team, three-pointers were scored. CJ Bennett (Brampton, ON) and Callaghan hit for the Capers, while the veterans Leotaud and Spurrell hit for UNB.
After a steal and lay-up by Leotaud, the REDS' edge mushroomed to 63-50.
Only 11 points were scored in the final half of the third quarter, with UNB holding a 67-57 lead at the buzzer.
In the fourth quarter, Callaghan brought the crowd to its feet with a spinning jumper in the lane, as the shot clock sounded, to make it 68-60 for the REDS.
After a Burry basket, Callaghan, on a similar move in the paint, drained another hoop.
The Capers trimmed the deficit to 70-64, with seven minutes remaining, and the REDS took a timeout.
Down 70-65, Omar blazed into the paint and made an acrobatic lay-up, but he was called for an offensive foul, and the score stayed at 70-65 for UNB. On the ensuing sequence, Rees Hasson (Fredericton, NB) silenced the home crowd with a three-point bomb.
With four minutes to play, the Capers pulled to within two, at 73-71. And, less than a minute later, Omar knotted the contest, with a reverse lay-up along the baseline, and then gave the Capers a 75-73 edge sinking a pair of foul shots.
Burry, with a shot from beyond the arc, and Spurrell, with a drive to the basket, gave UNB a 78-75 lead with less than two minutes to play.
With UNB up 78-77, Burry was fouled and made one of two foul shots to give UNB a two-point advantage with about 30 seconds remaining.
After an air-tight defensive sequence from the Capers, with only three seconds left on the shot clock, Leotaud heaved a desperation three-pointer that caught the rim, and Burry was able to collect the offensive rebound amidst a trio of Capers and was fouled. He made both shots to extend the UNB lead to 81-77 with 10 seconds left in regulation.
On a missed three-point attempt from Omar, Spurrell secured the defensive board, was fouled, and then made the ensuing free throws to seal the deal.
Burry, the Subway Player of the Game, led four REDS with 23 points, while adding nine rebounds and two assists.
Spurrell finished with 19, while Reese Zorogole (Halifax, NS) and Leotaud finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
For the Capers, Omar scored a game-high 29 points, while Callaghan added 20.
CBU will be back in action on Sunday, when they welcome the Saint Mary's Huskies, while the REDS have finished the 2021 portion of their AUS regular season schedule.
RECAP BY: Corey LeBlanc/for CBU Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Vaughan Merchant/for CBU Athletics