Capers Down REDS

(SYDNEY, NS) The Cape Breton Capers defeated the visiting UNB REDS 70-53 in Atlantic University Sport women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon.

"I think we played pretty well, it was a huge four-point win for us," Capers' forward Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS), the Subway Player of the Game, said.

In the first quarter, the Capers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening three minutes, led by the aggressiveness of Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON), particularly on the offensive glass. The advantage could have been larger for the home side, but CBU missed a handful of early lay-up attempts.

Midway through the opening quarter, MacKenzee Ryan (Glace Bay, NS) nailed a three-pointer to give the Capers a 9-2 edge. And, after the fourth-year guard muscled up a lay-in through traffic, CBU took its first double-digit lead at 17-7.

The Capers finished a low-scoring first quarter up 17-9.

Early in the second, the REDS made a 6-2 spurt to trim the CBU lead to 23-17.

The Capers responded, stretching their lead back to double figures, keyed by a deft turnaround jumper by MacLeod, which made it 29-17.

McKinley Bezanson (Hantsport, NS) canned a corner three-pointer to pull the REDS within nine, at 29-20.

Finishing the first half on a 10-3 run, the Capers led 33-20 at the break.

In the third quarter, the REDS came out firing, with Jolianne Guay (Prevost, QC) draining a corner jumper for three.

The Capers answered with an 11-4 run to make it 44-27.

After the REDS responded with five consecutive points, including a Kylee Speedy (Fredericton, NB) basket from beyond the arc, shaving the lead to 44-32, the Capers took a timeout.

Out of the break, first-year guard Leandra Hersey (Saint John, NB) nailed a three-pointer to restore the 15-point edge for CBU.

The Capers led 54-36 through three quarters.

In the opening minutes of the fourth, the CBU advantage ballooned to 61-36.

The REDS efforts to rally were unsuccessful, hampered by ice-cold shooting from the field, and the visitors could get no closer than to within 17 points in the final minutes.

Letlow led the Capers, with 21 points, while completing the double-double with 21 rebounds. MacLeod, with 18 points and 10 rebounds, also fashioned a double-double. 

For UNB, Speedy, off the bench, finished with 11 points, while Katie Butts (Ottawa, ON) added six points and 20 rebounds, and Katie McAffee (Lower Knowford, NB) had nine points and six rebounds.  

The Capers will be back on the court on Sunday, when they host Saint Mary's, while the REDS will return to AUS regular season play in January.

RECAP BY: Corey LeBlanc/for CBU Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Vaughan Merchant/for CBU Athletics