Axemen playoff push wraps up with pair of games against UNB

WOLFVILLE – Saint Mary's guards Jayrell Diggs and Shae Linton-Brown combined to score 50 points, with Linton-Brown scoring eight points in the final minute of regulation to lead the Huskies a thrilling 83-81 comeback win over the Acadia Axemen in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball action, Saturday night in Wolfville, N.S. 

After Acadia routed Saint Mary's on their home court 96-77 on Thursday night at the Homburg Centre, the Huskies looked to play spoiler to the Axemen on their Senior Night at Stu Aberdeen Court. 

The Huskies started the game working the ball inside to forward Jackson Enyinna (Port Harcourt, Nigeria) who scored four of their first six points, but the Axemen sharpshooters continued to hurt them from distance, with three straight threes from guard Miguel Perez Boskovic (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain) giving Acadia a 17-8 lead midway through the quarter. The Huskies battled back with back-to-back three pointers from Jayrell Diggs (East Preston, NS), as he added seven first quarter free-throws on his way to 13 points, but the Axemen 6/10 shooting from beyond the arc gave them a 26-23 lead after 10 minutes of play. 

In the second quarter, Huskies forward Jonah Crowther (Dartmouth, NS) contributed five straight points off the bench to tie the game at 32-32. But Acadia found success in the pick-and-roll as guard Kyle Munro (Halifax, NS) hooked up with forward Thomas MacDonald (Rothesay, NB) for back-to-back dunks, putting Acadia 45-36. Another free-throw from Diggs cut the lead to 45-37 at the half. 

The Axemen were led in the first half by 13 points from Miguel Perez Boskovic, and 11 points from guard Glen Cox (Scotsburn, NS). The Huskies were led by 14 points from Diggs, while guard Shae Linton-Brown (Toronto, ON) chipped in eight. 

The Huskies appeared energized to open the third quarter, with another jump shot from Diggs cutting the Axemen lead to 47-45. But Acadia kept shooting their way back into the lead, with back-to-back threes from guard Ryan Munro (Timberlea, NS) extending their lead to 62-53 with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter. But the Huskies responded with an 8-0 run to end the quarter, with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Diggs cutting the lead to 62-61 heading into the final frame.  

Early in the fourth quarter, a lay-in from Huskies guard Marc-Denault Gabriel (Montreal, QC) gave them the visitors first lead since early in the second quarter, 67-65. Back-to-back lay-ins from Cox restored the Axemen lead, 71-69, but after a Thomas MacDonald lay-in, Diggs hit his fourth three of the game to cut the lead to 73-72 with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. Cox responded with a lay-in, followed by three free-throws on two trips to the line, with an Enyinna lay-in sandwiched between, and the Axemen led 78-74 with a minute remaining. 

That's when Huskies fifth year guard Shae Linton-Brown took over the game. First he hit a deep three-pointer to cut the lead to one, then forced a Perez Boskovic turnover and scored a fastbreak lay-up to put the Huskies ahead 79-78. On the ensuing possession, Cox was called for an offensive foul, and then Linton-Brown hit the first of two free-throws, but was able to get his own rebound on the second and score a put-back lay-in to put the Huskies ahead 82-78. Linton-Brown's personal 8-0 run was answered by a three from Axemen guard Gabe Davignon (Whites Lake, NS) to cut the lead to 82-81, but Jayrell Diggs hit one-of-two free-throws to clinch the Huskies 83-81 victory.  

Jayrell Diggs was named Player of the Game with 28 points and six rebounds, while Shae Linton-Brown added 22 points and seven rebounds. Jackson Enyinna added 12 points, while league-leading rebounder Marc-Denault Gabriel posted another double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. 

The Axemen were led by league-leading scorer Glen Cox's 27 points and five rebounds, while Miguel Perez Boskovic chipped in 18, Kyle Munro 11, and Thomas MacDonald stuffed the stat-sheet with eight points, 15 rebounds and six assists. 

The Huskies win improves their record to 10-8 on the season, tying them with the Dalhousie Tigers (10-7) for second place in the AUS standings. Saint Mary's will finish the season on the road as they visit the Memorial Sea-Hawks (9-9) on Friday and Saturday, with both games scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. AST. 

The Axemen loss drops their record to 8-10 on the season, tied for fifth in the conference. Acadia will finish the regular season with a home-and-home against the UNB REDS (8-10), Wednesday night in Wolfville and Saturday afternoon in Fredericton.  

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics