By Corey LeBlanc 

SYDNEY – Heading down the home stretch in a multi-team race for the playoffs, the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (8-9) scored an important 88-65 victory over the Dalhousie Tigers (10-8) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's basketball action on Sunday night at Sullivan Fieldhouse. 

The hometown Capers jumped out to an early 11-2 edge, keyed by the three-point shooting of Mitchell Mersereau (Sydney, NS) and a hoop-and-harm finish from Aaron Cunningham (Orangeville, ON). 

After another pair of baskets from downtown from Mersereau, CBU led 20-6. 

The Capers finished the first quarter on a 7-1 burst and led 29-12. 

Sparked by three-pointers from Mersereau and Cunningham, the CBU advantage ballooned to 37-14 in the opening couple of minutes of the second quarter. 

The Tigers responded with five consecutive points – an acrobatic drive to the hoop from Nginyu Ngala (Montreal, QC) and three-pointer from Malcolm Christie (Fredericton, NB) to trim the deficit to 18. 

The Capers answered with a 9-2 run, with the exclamation point coming on a fast break from Shakael Pryce (Ajax, ON) to make it 46-21.  

CBU led 58-31 at halftime. 

In a low-scoring third quarter – the Capers held a 17-15 edge in a back-and-forth 10 minutes. 

Heading to the fourth quarter, CBU led 75-46. 

For the majority of the final frame, both teams went deep into their benches as the Capers had the answer to any comeback attempt, and the Tigers ran out of time. 

The Chartwells players of the game were Christie (Dalhousie) and Mersereau (Capers). 

Mersereau led CBU with a game-high 25 points, including five three-pointers, while adding seven rebounds and four assists. Pryce added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. Stefan Anisko (Caledonia, ON) also collected double digits, with 10 points. 

In a balanced Caper attack, 11 players hit the scoresheet. 

For the Tigers, Christie led the way with 17 points, while adding five rebounds and two assists. 

Gabriel Marcotullio (London, ON) – off the bench – chipped in 11 points and six rebounds.  

The teams will return to the floor in a rematch on Monday, Feb. 12, at 4 p.m.