No. 1-seeded Huskies squeak by Capers to advance to Subway AUS women’s basketball championship final

(HALIFAX, N.S.) - The No. 1-seeded Saint Mary's Huskies defeated the fifth-seeded Cape Breton Capers in a very close 55-53 game in the semifinals of the Subway AUS Women's Basketball Championship.

Second-year guard Valentina Primossi (Trieste, Italy) opened up the scoring for the Capers.

Saint Mary's guard Angelina Carvery (Halifax, N.S.) responded with an and-one, making a layup and sinking another from the line.

The game stayed very close for the remainder of the first quarter. Both teams did a good job of defending their own end, maintaining a low score of 9-9 at the end of the first quarter.

The game remained close in the second frame. Rasheeka Gunn (Oakville, Ont.) opened with two points for Cape Breton.

SMU's Carvery was then fouled, made both of her free throws and went on to sink the game's first three-pointer.

The lead changed hands several times throughout the quarter, with the score staying very close throughout. Saint Mary's pulled away slightly to end the half, 23-19. Carvery led the first half scoring with nine points.

As the second half began, both teams protected their end well. Three minutes into the third quarter Alison Keough (Marion Bridge, N.S.) was able to break down the Huskies' defence and earn her team the first two points of the second half.

Keough dominated the stat sheet in the third frame, posting nine points, two defensive rebounds, two steals and a block. The Capers regained the lead 26-25 halfway through the quarter following a layup and a free throw from Keough.

The lead changed hands twice more through the quarter. Carvery brought the Huskies to win within one of the Capers to close out the third frame 34-33.

The score remained close and the intensity was up during the fourth quarter. Fouls early in the fourth quarter from Saint Mary's brought the score to 36-33 for the Capers after Keough sunk her free throws.

The play went back and forth with good offensive play from both Keough and AUS rookie of the Kennisha-Shanice Luberisse (Montreal, Que.) of the Huskies, earning four points apiece for their teams.

Carvery then hit a hot streak for Saint Mary's, sinking three unanswered three-pointers to put the Huskies ahead 46-40.

Following an Emma Valikoski (Espoo, Finland) layup, the Huskies took the largest lead of the game, 48-40.

The Capers battled back in the final frame, bring the score to 54-50 for the Huskies, with 16 seconds remaining.

Saint Mary's Valikoski made one of two free throw attempts to put the Huskies up 55-50.

Primossi's three-pointer with seconds remaining made the score 55-53, but it wouldn't be enough, and that would stand as the final score.

Subway player of the game honours for Saint Mary's went to Angelina Carvery who finished with a game-high 22 points and added seven rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Cape Breton's Subway player of the game was Alison Keough who posted a team-high 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. She also chipped in with an assist, three steals and a block.

Rasheeka Gunn was named Wilsons Security defensive player of the game for the Capers. She posted five defensive rebounds and a steal for the Cape Breton defence.

Wilsons Security defensive player of the game for the Huskies was fourth-year forward Laura Langille (Bedford, N.S.) who finished with six defensive rebounds, two blocks and a steal for the Saint Mary's defence.

The Huskies now move on to face the UPEI Panthers in the Subway AUS women's basketball championship final game Sunday at 1 p.m. at Scotiabank Centre.