Capers come back to defeat Huskies 79-74

HALIFAX, NS – The Cape Breton Capers came back from a 14-point third quarter deficit to defeat the Saint Mary's Huskies 79-74 in Atlantic University Sport men's basketball action on Sunday afternoon at the Homburg Centre in Halifax.

The first quarter was a back and forth affair, as the two teams traded leads. The Huskies received a boost of their bench from first year guard Ben Dale (Halifax, NS), but a late three from forward Tafarian Black (Scarborough, ON) gave the Capers a 20-17 lead after 10 minutes of play.

The second quarter saw Huskies guard Dawson John (Brantford, ON) hit back-to-back threes, tying the game at 26-26. Then the Huskies all-star guard tandem of Jasha'jaun Downey (North Preston, NS) and Jayrell Diggs (East Preston, NS) each went on five-point individual scoring runs, with a three from Downey giving the Huskies a 38-36 lead. The Capers responded with a Tafarian Black jumper, but Dawson John hit a lay-in – his eighth point of the quarter – giving the Huskies a 40-38 lead at the half.

The Huskies opened the quarter on an 8-0 run, with six points from Jayrell Diggs and a lay-up from forward Jonah Crowther (Dartmouth, NS. Back to back baskets, including an alley-oop slam, from forward Aaron Barning (Brampton, ON) extended the lead to 57-44.

A three-pointer from Jasha'jaun Downey gave the Huskies their largest lead of the day, 60-46, with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter. But the Capers closed the quarter on a 6-0 run, including four points from guard Aaron Cunningham, to cut the deficit to 60-52 going into the fourth.

Cape Breton continued their momentum into the fourth, with back-to-back threes from Tayshaun Thomas cutting the Huskies lead to 62-59. After Jayrell Diggs hit a lay-in, Cunningham responded with another three, bringing the Capers within two.

Back-to-back buckets from Jasha'jaun Downey gave the Huskies a 69-63 lead, but a lay-in from guard Mathieu Nader-Kolombo, followed by a Tafarian Black three, cut the lead to 69-68, before a Nader-Kolombo three gave the Capers their first lead since midway through the second quarter.

Cunningham scored another lay-in, but Downey responded with a three, followed by a Jonah Crowther lay-up, and the Capers led 75-74 with 1:32 to play. But Capers guard Tayshaun Thomas made two big plays, a lay-up and then a blocked shot, and Liai Tong and Justus Peuser each hit a free-throw, leading the visitors to a 79-74 come-back victory.

Tayshaun Thomas was named Player of the Game for the Capers, coming off the bench to score 16 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, and adding eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Tafarian Black led the Capers with 20 points – 17 in the first half – while Aaron Cunningham added 16.

The Huskies were paced by guard Jayrell Diggs with 21 points and five assists, and Jasha'jaun Downey's 19 points.

The Capers improve to 2-0 on the campaign, while the Huskies drop to 0-2. The Huskies will visit the UPEI Panthers (0-2) for a pair of games next Friday, Oct. 31 and Saturday, Nov. 1, while the Capers host the UNB REDS (2-0) on the same days.

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Eduardo Ibarra / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics