REDS Hold Off Sea-Hawks
(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB REDS came out on top versus the Memorial Sea-Hawks in a hard fought 76-69 win in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball play Saturday afternoon at UNB's Richard J. Currie Center.
This was the second game of a two-game series between the REDS and the Sea-Hawks as part of UNB's Stewart-McKelvey Think Pink Week, in support of U SPORTS' Shoot for the Cure effort.
On the backs of Eden Otshudi (Hamilton, ON) with 11 points in the quarter and Brandon Laryea (Crawley UK) with eight, the REDS would jump out to a six-point lead at the end of the first, 22-16.
A tightly contested second quarter ended with the REDS hitting two three-pointers in the last minute from Matthias Muscroft (Sussex, NB) and Otshudi respectively, extending the REDS lead to 10 going into half-time, 43-33.
The third quarter was more of the same for the REDS, featuring stellar defense and great offensive execution.
This allowed them to add two more points to their lead, entering the fourth quarter up 58-46.
In the first five minutes of the fourth the Sea-Hawks would mount a comeback reducing their deficit to four. This was capped off by a three-pointer from Joshua Francis (Calgary, AB) leaving the score at 63-59 in the REDS favour.
Laryea put a stop to the late game Memorial run with two of his 12 points coming on an emphatic transition slam.
The game would conclude with Muscroft icing the game with two big free throws to push the lead to seven, a lead they would keep the rest of the way, winning 76-69.
Otshudi would finish the game with 19 points, netting him the Tim Hortons Player of the Game award.
Conner Landell (St. Catharines, ON) would chip in with 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Flynn Boardman-Raffet (London, UK) would lead all scorers with 21 points coupled with eight rebounds.
Sea-hawks forward and former RED Norm Burry (Grafton, NB) would contribute with a double-double notching 10 points along with 12 rebounds.
This was a key win for the UNB REDS as this puts them even with the Sea-Hawks for third place in the conference standings.
The REDS will play at the UPEI Panthers on Friday night at 8:00pm and the Sea-Hawks will see their next action at UPEI a week from Friday, on February 14th.
RECAP BY: Judson Doncaster/for UNB Athletics
PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics