Axemen hand third place Capers an 83-80 overtime loss

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - The Acadia Axemen had a thrilling 83-80 comeback victory that went into overtime during Saturday night's game against the Cape Breton Capers.

The Capers started the game by doubling the Axemen in the first, taking the lead 20-10.

Eugene Kankue and Osman Omar both put up 8 points for the Capers in the first.

By halftime, the Axemen had reduced Cape Breton's lead 36-27 after 20 minutes.

Omar continued to light up the court, finishing the half with 14 points on six of nine from the floor, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Omar would finish the game with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. His performance earned him the Subway Player of the Game honours.

The Axemen shot a dismal 11 of 40 from the field in the opening half - a mere 27.5%. From three they only made two of their 18 attempts. 

Acadia pushed for the lead a few times in the third but never broke even with the Capers.

Second-year Axemen forward Forest Mahoney cut the differential to 4 at the buzzer with a basket off of a rebound. Going into the last quarter, the Capers were up 56-52.

The push continued throughout the fourth and saw the Axemen within 3 with 1:39 remaining after a big three from senior guard Ben Miller. Miller later tied the game up with another three with 30 seconds left in regulation time.

The two teams would require overtime to decide a winner.

Four minutes into overtime, the score remained tied and 20 seconds remaining and the score tied, the Capers missed a free throw. The Axemen gathered the rebound and took it to the offensive end.

Miller faked a shot and dished a pass to Trevon Grant, who drained a three-pointer with 2 seconds left. The Capers would not get a viable chance to take the win away.

The Axemen stole the game by a score of 83-80.

Grant had a double-double in his last home - putting up 19-13-4. For his team-high scoring and game-winning three, Grant was named the Subway Player of the Game. Graduating seniors Miller and Junior Moaku-Matia had 17 and 15 respectively.

Osman Omar led all scores on the court with 21 points. Paul Watson pulled down an amazing 18 rebounds – all defensive.

The Axemen have two road games in PEI next weekend against the Panthers. The Axemen find themselves with a four-point lead in the standings over the Panthers in the seventh spot and trail the sixth place Memorial Sea-Hawks by two points. Memorial has one game in hand, while the Panthers have two.

The third-place Capers travel to play against St. FX on Wednesday night.