Ready to run
Panthers looking to pressure ball, score in transition at CBU
The UPEI Panthers will look to push the pace today when they play the Cape Breton Capers.
The teams play today at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men’s basketball action. The teams were supposed to play Friday and today, but the games were pushed back a day due to a storm.
“I think we’re going to have to be able to get out and run,” said Panthers head coach Tim Kendrick.
“They’re not only talented; they’re big,” he added. “Our front line is really going to have to play” big.
Forward Kenny Jean-Louis leads the Capers in scoring at 15.6 points per game while centre Meshack Lufile averages 14.8. Freshman guard Jack MacAulay, of Charlottetown, averages 9.4 points in nine games this season, including five starts.
The Panthers swept the Capers 90-75 and 109-88 in midNovember, but Kendrick said he expects a different-looking Capers team tonight. Cape Breton is 6-5 for 16 points while UPEI is 9-3 for 24 points.
“Lufile is playing very well for them. Jean-Louis is playing very well for them and their supporting cast is playing much better. They’re tough to scout because they’re fairly deep.”
Tyler Scott and Bradley States lead the Panthers at 27.7 and 19.5 points per game, respectively.
UPEI enters the game a bit banged up, plus a cold has been going through the team the past week or two.
Kendrick said it looked like most of the players will dress tonight except Stefan Vujisic ( foot) and Hugh McLarty (concussion).
The Panthers women’s team has a tough matchup in the post this weekend in Sydney, N.S.
Alison Keough is third in the conference in scoring at 19.5 points while averaging a conference-best 10 rebounds per game.
“She’s one of the best players in the league,” said Panthers head coach Greg Gould. “Keough is a tough one-on-one (matchup). When she gets the ball in the high post and attacks, she’s very, very good.”
Jane McLaughlin is expected to see a lot of time against Keough this weekend when the teams meet today at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Hannah Brown averages 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds while being a physical presence inside for the Capers.
Gould said the Capers run a lot of offensive play off screen action and it will be important for the Panthers to fight through the screens.
“They’re a good team. They’re well coached. They run good stuff. They’re very athletic, but they’re beatable,” Gould said. “I think any team in this league is beatable on any given day, but we’re going to have to play well and it always starts on the defensive end.”
The Panthers are led offensively by Angenay Williams (15.4 points per game), Anne Kiberd (13.3) and Katie Donahoe (11.8).
Cape Breton (7-4) has 18 points while UPEI (3-9) has eight points.
Each of this weekend’s games are worth two points. The Capers swept both games from the Panthers in November, winning 74-65 and 65-59.