Stewart leads Tigers to win over Axemen

The Dalhousie Tigers defeated the Acadia Axemen 71-66 on Sunday at Stu Aberdeen Court.

Dalhousie opened with Austin Thomson securing an early offensive rebound, although the team initially struggled with shot accuracy. Lydell Husbands-Browne made a significant impact by hitting a three-pointer at 6:42, assisted by Thomson, which narrowed the gap to 5-3. Caleb Stewart contributed with consecutive free throws and a three-pointer, leading to a 13-10 score. The half saw a strong offensive push from Gabe Damey, who scored a layup and a free throw, helping Dalhousie edge ahead 14-15 at 2:23. Riley Stewart's free throws extended the lead to 17-15, and Jayden Parker's late layup secured a 21-18 lead for Dalhousie by the end of the half.

In the second quarter, Dalhousie maintained a narrow lead over the Axemen, highlighted by a scoring streak from Riley Stewart, who contributed with a layup and a three-pointer, assisted both times by Damey. Thomson added to the lead with a layup at 4:00, assisted by Drake Kucharik, while Kucharik later sank a three-pointer at 2:30, again assisted by Damey, extending the lead to five points. Despite the Axemen's attempts to close the gap with several free throws, Dalhousie managed to hold onto a slight edge, ending the half with a 35-34 lead.

Caleb Stewart opened the third quarter with a three-pointer at 9:20, assisted by Damey, giving Dalhousie a six-point lead. Despite this early momentum, the Axemen responded with a scoring run, eventually taking the lead at 6:45 with a layup from Glen Cox. Dalhousie kept the game close with a significant contribution from Dimitrios Georgoulias, who scored a layup and added an assist towards the end of the half, narrowing the gap to one point in the final seconds.

In the final frame, Dalhousie took control with consistent scoring, highlighted by Caleb Stewart's impactful performance. At 9:21, the Axemen led by three points, but Dalhousie quickly overcame this deficit through key plays including a three-pointer from Caleb Stewart, shifting the lead in their favor. Dalhousie maintained their lead with successful free throws and a strong defensive presence, concluding the half with a 16-10 advantage and clinching the game.

Caleb Stewart led the Dalhousie basketball team with 21 points, including 4 three-pointers, and contributed 9 rebounds. Gabe Damey provided a strong playmaking presence with 6 assists, along with 12 points and 3 rebounds. Lydell Husbands-Browne was effective on the boards, collecting 9 rebounds, while also adding 6 points and 5 assists. Dimitrios Georgoulias matched the rebounding effort with 9 boards and scored 6 points, showing consistency in his all-around game.

The Tigers and Axemen return to the court on Wednesday at Dalplex.