(SYDNEY, NS) Sydney, NS The UNB REDS scored a victory over the Cape Breton University Capers in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball action, in Sydney, on Friday night.
The REDS, who hit nine three-pointers in the first half, came out sizzling from beyond the arc. On the strength of three consecutive baskets from downtown, the visitors led 9-4.
After 2022 conference rookie of the year Norm Burry (Grafton, NB) made a sensational drive down the lane for an uncontested spinning lay-up, UNB pushed their edge to double digits, 19-9.
The exclamation point on a strong opening 10 minutes for UNB came on an emphatic slam dunk from Mark Tobin (Mount Pearl, NL), after he slashed into the point from the wing. After making the subsequent free throw, the REDS led 22-11 and were up 27-15 after one quarter.
In the second, Jason Callaghan (Sydney, NS) drained an early jumper for the Capers to slice the UNB edge to 29-20.
After the Capers inched closer on a three-pointer from Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney, NS), the REDS answered with shots from beyond the arc from Malik Grant (Brampton, ON) and Burry to maintain a 35-27 lead.
In the closing minutes before halftime, the UNB lead ballooned to 49-35, but CBU battled back, scoring the final six points of the second, including a pair of lay-ups from conference leading scorer Osman Omar (Mississauga, ON) and an acrobatic rainbow reverse drive to the hoop from freshman guard Justus Peuser (Geisenheim, Germany).
The REDS led 49-41 at halftime.
In the third quarter, a quick start by the Capers narrowed the REDS lead to 49-45 in the opening minute.
UNB answered, both from the outside and in the paint, with a follow-up dunk from Anthony Sears (Antigonish, NS) restoring their double-digit advantage at 64-54.
In that final frame, the REDS extended the lead to 80-65, and with less than six minutes remaining, Grant nailed a three-pointer to give the visitors their largest lead at 85-69.
The Capers battled but could not pull any closer than nine points, after a late surge, as the REDS cruised to a well-earned victory.
Burry led the REDS with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Grant, Subway Player of the Game, finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Brandon Laryea (Crawley, UK) chipped in 11 points and six rebounds, while Eden Otshudi (Hamilton, ON) came off the UNB bench to score 10 points and seven rebounds in a balanced UNB attack.
Omar led the Capers with a game-high 27 points, while adding eight rebounds, three steals and one assist.
Callaghan contributed 17 points, while Tyson Cato (Ajax, ON) added 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
The REDS are now 3-5 and sit fourth in the AUS standings. Cape Breton's record falls to 2-6.
Next up for the REDS, the STFX X-Men. That game goes Satruday, in Antigonish, at 8:00pm.
The Capers next see action on January 6th, when they visit STFX.
RECAP BY: Corey LeBlanc/for CBU Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Vaughan Merchant/for CBU Athletics