CIS No. 9 Axemen improve to 15-4 with lopsided win over Dal

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - The Acadia Axemen basketball celebrated the end of an era with the recognition of four graduating Axemen who played their last game at the Acadia War Memorial Gymnasium. Perennial All-Canadian Owen Klassen along with Anthony Sears, Anthony Ashe and Lauchlan Gale were honoured before an appreciative crowd who made it priority to attend an odd Thursday night game.

For head coach Steve Baur, it's the end of his first big recruiting class of 2009. Klassen and Sears were both named to the AUS All-Rookie team in their first year at Acadia while Anthony Ashe brought leadership from Carleton Ravens in his transfer to Acadia three years ago.

On this special Seniors Night, the Axemen posted a lopsided 99-55 win over the visiting Dalhousie Tigers. Anthony Ashe, who was named as the Subway Player of the Game, grabbed the headlines with a perfect seven for seven from the distant arc and a game high 23 points in less than 20 minutes of play.

Ashe's performance overshadowed rookie Gianmarco Luciani's 18 point performance - his highest scoring game of the season. Luciani was four for six from the three point line and perfect from the charity strip. Kyle Arsenault and Shaquille Smith each added 14 points while senior graduating forward Owen Klassen, who saw just over 20 minutes on the court added 12 points and nine rebounds. Smith had a team high 11 rebounds that included 10 defensive boards.

Acadia held onto a lead for the entire game and pushed from a 25-19 opening quarter lead to a 48-30 halftime advantage. A lopsided third quarter pushed the lead to an insurmountable 83-45 Acadia lead. The fourth quarter saw an assortment of new faces as both teams unloaded the bench.

Tiger John Traboulsi grabbed the honours as Dalhousie's Subway Player of the game. Traboulsi had a team high 13 points and added four rebounds in the losing effort.

The Tigers will miss the post season for the first time since their championship win in 2011 and fall to last place with a 5-14 record. The Axemen improve to 15-4 and could better their record of 15-5 from last season as they travel to Halifax this Saturday to play their last regular season game against Dalhousie.