Three-point showdown
Acadia Axemen down Dalhousie 70-67
In their first meeting since last year’s epic battle in the AUS semi-finals last season, the hometown Acadia Axemen edged past the U SPORTS No. 5 ranked Dalhousie Tigers 70-67, handing the Tigers their first loss of the regular season.
Trailing the Tigers 10-2 in the opening three minutes, the Axemen worked back to tie the game early in the second quarter, when Eli Kraushar drained a three-point shot to tie the game at 24.
A timely three-point shot at 5:31 in the second quarter by Nick De Palma gave the Axemen a 29-24 lead. At the half, the Axemen held on to a slim 42-38 advantage.
The lead would remain in Acadia’s hands until Jordan Brathwaite’s basket from the distant arc with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter gave the Tigers a short-lived 50-48 lead.
A tight game from beginning to end, both teams shared similar statistics with only a difference in point from the bench. The Axemen’s bench offered 29 points compared to the tiger’s 14.
Dalhousie almost tripled the Axemen in points off of turnovers, with 16 compared to Acadia’s six.
Dalhousie’s Sven Stammberger scored a game high 20 points that included four from the three-point line. Stammberger also posted a team high seven rebounds. Sascha Kappos added 15 points to the team total.
Ben Miller led the Axemen with 13 points. Five Axemen, including Miller, posted double digit scoring including Erik Nissen who had 12 points and a Acadia Axemen Thomas Johnson presses forward in a tightly contested game against Dalhousie.
game high 13 rebounds – 10 of which were defensive rebounds.
Off the bench, Nick De Palma recorded 12 points – all of which were timely three point baskets. Thomas Johnson, named the Subway Player of the Game, had 10 points, nine boards and five assists for the Axemen.
“I thought we did a good job focusing on transition defense, protecting the paint and defensive rebounding. It’s always nice to beat a top five team in the
country, especially protecting your home court. We now have to focus on taking care of our bodies and recover and get ready to play them at their place on Saturday,” said Johnson following he game.
In the second game on Saturday night, of a home-and-home series, the Acadia Axemen held on to a 79-72 victory to sweep the two-game series.
Acadia’s Erik Nissen started the game on fire from the field,
picking up eight of Acadia’s first 12 points, with six of those coming from long range.
Heading into the half, the Axemen led the Tigers 36-31.
The Axemen made a 12-5 run, late in the third quarter to take back and extend the lead, going into the fourth quarter up 5750.
Acadia’s long range shots continued to kill the Tigers chances of climbing back into the game as De Palma knocked down the 11th of the game for the Axemen, putting them up 72-61 with just over two minutes remaining.
Alex Carson led the Tigers with 30 points, while Erik Nissen put up 21 for Acadia, along with eight rebounds and six assists.
Acadia will host STFX Nov. 24 at Scotiabank Centre starting at 6 p.m., prior to the Team Canada Senior Men’s team versus Bahamas game at 8 p.m.