Gascoigne & Beaumont lead Huskies to 77-60 win over Capers

HALIFAX, NS – Clara Gascoigne scored 23 points and added six steals, while Lucy Beaumont contributed an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double, leading the U SPORTS #3 ranked Saint Mary's Huskies to a 77-60 win over the Cape Breton Capers in Atlantic University Sport women's basketball action on Saturday night at the Homburg Centre.

Saint Mary's forward Chloe Wilson (Dartmouth, NS) got the action started by hitting a three-pointer, before back-to-back lay-ins from guard Clara Gascoigne (Dartmouth, NS) giving the Huskies an early 9-2 lead.

Capers All-Canadian Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) scored their first seven points to keep them in it, but a tough and-one lay-in from Gascoigne pushed the lead to 17-7.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Clara Gascoigne with a tough and-one finish! Huskies lead 20-13 after the first! pic.twitter.com/ZSfQnAFEvu

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) February 1, 2025

The Capers responded with a pair of buckets from guard Chermensa Van La Parra (Rotterdam, Netherlands) but Gascoigne hit another three-pointer to give the Huskies a 20-11 lead after the first quarter.

The second quarter saw the Huskies lead continue to grow, with guard Aki Kobayashi (Osaka, Japan) finding forwards Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB) and Marlo Steenbakkers (Ottawa, ON) for back-to-back lay-ins.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Aki Kobayashi with a great feed to Lucy Beaumont for two! Huskies lead 38-27 at the half! pic.twitter.com/5sFSun7A9G

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) February 1, 2025

Capers guard Amanda Cruikshank (Montreal, QC) hit a three, but the Huskies responded with back-to-back threes from Beaumont and guard Aliyah Fraser (New Glasgow, NS) as their lead grew to 31-16. But the Capers went on a late run, with three-pointers from Van La Parra and guard Hannah Smith (Bedford, NS) cutting the Huskies lead to 38-27 at the half.

The Huskies began the second quarter with back-to-back lay-ins from Aki Kobayashi, growing their lead to 42-27. After Capers forward Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS) hit a jumper, Clara Gascoigne went on a dominant run – first scoring a lay-up then picking off a pass and feeding Beaumont for the lay-in, then hitting a three-pointer as the Huskies lead ballooned to 49-29.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

What a run for Clara Gascoigne and the Huskies! Seven straight points including five from Gascoigne, and the Huskies take a 61-46 lead into the fourth! pic.twitter.com/OCUJNVw20y

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) February 1, 2025

Kiyara Letlow continued to pace the Capers, as she scored nine third quarter points, including back-to-back lay-ups to cut the Huskies lead to 61-46 heading into the final frame.

In the fourth quarter, Hannah Smith hit a three-pointer to bring the Capers within a dozen, 63-51, but Saint Mary's responded on a 7-0 run, with a three-pointer from Lucy Beaumont and a trio of free-throws from Aki Kobayashi pushing the lead to 70-51. The Capers responded with a 7-0 run of their own, cutting it back to a 12-point Huskies lead, but Chloe Wilson drilled a pick-and-pop three-pointer to take control, with the Huskies hanging on for the 77-60 victory.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Chloe Wilson hits the pick and pop three! Huskies defeat the Capers 77-60 to improve to 15-0 on the season and clinch a bye to the @AUS_SUA semifinal! pic.twitter.com/zIKZnKybxY

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) February 1, 2025

Huskies guard Clara Gascoigne was named Player of the Game, stuffing the stat-sheet with 23 points, a career-high six steals, six rebounds and five assists. Lucy Beaumont added an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double, and Aki Kobayashi chipped in 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Forward Kiyara Letlow led the Capers with 19 points and 14 rebounds, adding three steals, two assists and a block, while Chermensa Van La Parra chipped in 16 points and six assists.

The Huskies win improves their record to 15-0 on the season, clinching a bye to the AUS Semifinal, while the Capers drop to 8-8 on the campaign. The two teams will meet again next Friday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. in Sydney, N.S.

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