Season ender: hoop Axewomen, Axemen lose regular season finales

Both Acadia basketball teams will be outside looking in at the AUBC playoffs.

After losses in their regular season finales against UPEI Feb. 22 in Wolfville, the Axemen finished seventh in their league with a 5-15 record for 14 points, while the Axewomen were seventh in their league with a 4-16 record for 10 points.

Against UPEI on Feb. 22, the Axewomen lost 74-66, while the Axemen ended up on the short end of a 94-84 score.

In the women’s game, Acadia led 14-9 after one quarter, but trailed 30-29 at halftime after the Panthers won the second quarter 20-16. UPEI then won the third quarter 24-16 and the fourth 21-20 to win by eight.

Paloma Anderson continued to leave her stamp on the Axewomen season – or at least the portion of it she played – finishing with 28 points, a game-high nine rebounds and six assists. Chanel Smith added 12 points courtesy of four threepointers, and Allie Berry finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Tamara Dondi also had eight rebounds for Acadia.

Acadia shot 34.8 per cent from

the floor, compared to 43.8 per cent for the Panthers. The Axewomen committed 19 turnovers (to 13 for UPEI), but Acadia won the rebounding battle 46-37, including a 19-9 edge at the offensive end.

In the men’s game, UPEI led 25-20 after one quarter, 46-40 at halftime, and 68-64 after 30 minutes after Acadia won the third quarter 24-22. The Axemen battled back to take a 70-68 lead, but UPEI ended up winning the fourth quarter 26-20 and the game by 10 points.

Former Axeman Tyler Scott, among the conference leaders in scoring this season, had 33 points for the Panthers and also hauled in 11 rebounds. Ellis Ffrench, a Kings County native, added 21 points.

Shaquille Smith led Acadia with 18 points, Ben Miller had 17 points, and Gianmarco Luciani added 15 off the bench. Miller had four threes, and Smith, Luciani and A.J. Simmonds each had a pair of threes. Rhys Larry finished with eight points and 17 rebounds, and Nick Ernest chipped in seven points and nine boards.

Acadia shot 36.3 per cent from the floor, and made 10 of 31 threes. UPEI shot 41.8 per cent and was eight of 23 from the perimeter. The rebounding battle was almost even, 55 for the Panthers and 54 for the Axemen.