Axemen swept in two game weekend on the Island
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - The Axemen were swept in a two-game weekend in Charlottetown versus the first place UPEI Panthers. The teams split their regular season four game series with Acadia winning both games at home earlier in the season.
Game One - Friday, Jan. 15
On a night when their leading scorer struggled with his shot, the Panthers front court duo of Dut Dut and Brad States stepped up in a big way.
The pair combined for 54 points while providing stellar interior defence in a 104-83 victory over the Acadia Axemen Friday night.
After missing the entire second quarter with foul trouble, States made his presence known in the third, scoring 10 of his 24 points in the decisive quarter.
But the league's top three-point shooting team played to their strength, draining four consecutive triples, giving the Axemen a 25-21 lead after one.
In the opening minutes of the second quarter, UPEI outscored Acadia 10-2, regaining the lead 31-27 and forcing their opponent to call a timeout.
With lock-down defender States sidelined with foul trouble, the road team's offence went to work, tying the game 44 apiece at halftime.
Acadia's Shaquille Smith and UPEI's Milorad Sedlarevic each scored 11 at the break.
After playing only four minutes in the first half, States came alive in the second half, helping the Panthers take a 58-50 lead.
However, the sharpshooting Axemen trimmed the lead to two.
UPEI's defence held Acadia to just 14 fourth quarter points. Dut himself scored 14 of his 30 points in the final frame, sealing the 104-83 win.
Sedlarevic added 16 for the Panthers, while guard Jake Kendrick contributed with 15 (3-of-6 from three) off the bench.
Axemen, Smith (19), Ben Miller (13), Thomas Johnston (12) and Erik Nissen (12) scored in double figures in the loss.
Game Two - Saturday, Jan 16
Up 12 with three minutes remaining, the UPEI Panthers looked poised for a comfortable win.
But an Acadia three-point barrage cut the deficit to a single point, with only three seconds remaining in the game.
After the Axemen intentionally fouled Tyler Scott to extend the game, Scott stepped up to the line and converted the first.
Fans were on the edge of their seats as Scott took a deep breath, stepped back to the line but missed the second. Acadia gathered the rebound and heaved a half court shot, but came up just short as it hit the front of the rim.
With a collective sigh of relief, the Panthers prevailed 92-90, improving their record to 8-2 for sole possession of first place, while the Axemen fell to 6-5.
Acadia showed off their strength in the first, draining five three-pointers for the early 23-18 lead.
The Axemen pushed the lead to 29-21 after forward Andrew Scott connected on a contested shot at the buzzer.
Acadia shared the scoring load, with six players scoring at least four points, while Scott kept the Panthers in the game with 13 of his own.
The Panthers offence came alive in the second, outscoring their opponent 12-2 to storm ahead 33-31.
The Axemen struggled to maintain the rhythm they had early on, shooting just 30 per cent in the quarter, allowing UPEI to tie the game at 42 apiece at halftime.
UPEI pushed ahead by one, behind a 7-6 run, before Acadia countered with a four-point play.
The two teams traded baskets in the up and down affair, but a Scott buzzer-beating three tied the game at 65 heading into the fourth.
Scott scored 10 of his game-high 29 points in the quarter to lead his team, while Acadia sank four triples on five attempts.
The home team pulled away to start the final quarter with the help of a Milorad Sedlarevic three-pointer, and an old fashioned three-point play by States for the 75-67 lead.
The Panthers didn't stop there, giving Acadia a taste of their own medicine. Jake Kendrick sank the second of back-to-back treys, giving UPEI their largest lead of the game 85-73.
Acadia made one last push, cutting the deficit to just a single point, but it wasn't enough as the Panthers came out on top 92-90.
Four Panthers scored in double figures in the win. Joining Scott, were States (21), Sedlarevic (14) and Dut Dut, who recorded the lone double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Acadia's Ben Miller (22), Shaquille Smith (18), Nick De Palma (15), Thomas Johnston (14) and Erik Nissen (13) each finished in double figures.
The Panthers continue their homestand Jan. 22 when they face the 6-5 UNB Varsity Reds at 8 p.m. at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, while the Axemen host the StFX X-Men this coming Wednesday at the War Memrial Gymnasium.
Provided by UPEI Communications Office - Thomas Becker