X-Men win second consecutive game over Panthers

Antigonish, N.S. -  The StFX X-Men (3-12) made it back-to-back victories over the visiting UPEI Panthers (10-6) with a 96-90 win in AUS basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Oland Centre.

In a back-and-forth first quarter, the Panthers jumped to an early 11-8 edge after Dut Dut (Ottawa, ON) drained five straight points, including a three-point shot.

The X-Men replied with a 9-0 burst to take a 17-11 lead, with Julius Antoine (Woodbridge, ON) hitting from beyond the arc during the stretch.

The Panthers answered with an eight-point surge, including four points from Tyler Scott (Halifax, NS), to give the visitors a 19-17 lead., 

In the final minutes of the first quarter, on the strength of a pair of three-pointers - one each by Jason Hatch (Arzo, Switzerland) and Tristen Ross (Truro, NS), just before the buzzer, the X-Men took a 26-21 lead.

StFX finished the period on a 9-2 run.

In the second quarter, Lorenzo Parker (New Minas, NS) scored eight points as part of a 10-0 spurt in the first four minutes, which gave the Panthers 31-26 advantage.

With just under four minutes remaining until halftime, on a fast-break dunk from Brad States (Bathurst, NB), UPEI increased their lead to 38-30.

The home side closed the gap before intermission with a 14- 7 run, keyed by brute strength on the interior from Bercy, along with a slashing left-handed lay-up from first-year guard Akil Charles (Glenn Dale, MD).

Bercy and Scott led all scorers with 12 points apiece in the first 20 minutes.

The Panthers led 45-44 at halftime. 

In the first four minutes of the third quarter, the X-Men outscored the Panthers 16-9 to take a 60-54 lead.  Bercy, with nine points, and Antoine (eight), spurred the offensive charge.

With the X-Men ahead 66-60, Panther guard Amin Suleman (Toronto, ON) reeled off six straight points to tie the contest.

After Ross gave StFX back the lead with a three-pointer from the corner, Scott sank 10 points in a row, including two deep shots from downtown, to give the Panthers a 76-69 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the X-Men scored the first six points, with the offenses trading baskets from there in the first five minutes of the final frame.

After the Panthers took an 89-88 advantage, the X-Men closed the match-up with a 8-1 run to clinch the victory.

Antoine and Cameron Walker (Dallas, TX), the Subway player of the game, sparked the final winning push with two hoops apiece on the interior.

The X-Men outscored the Panthers 26-14 in the fourth quarter.

For StFX, Bercy finished with a game-high 33 points, while adding 13 rebounds to complete his second of consecutive double-double efforts. He also chipped in two blocked shots and one assist.

Antoine and Walker also hit double digits with 20 points apiece. Antoine added six assists, four rebounds and one blocked shot, while Walker contributed nine rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot.

Provo led all players with 11 assists.

Scott topped the Panthers with 31 points. He added seven rebounds and six assists.

Off the bench, Suleman and Parker collected 14 and 11 points, respectively. Suleman also dished out seven assists, while Parker notched eight rebounds, four assists and one steal.

States, with 12, and Dut (10) also scored in double figures for the Panthers. 

The X-Men will be back in action Tuesday, Feb. 9, when they host the rival Saint Mary's Huskies in a 8 p.m. tip-off at Oland Centre. 

The Panthers will return to the court Saturday, Feb. 13, when the Memorial SeaHawks visit Charlottetown. Game time is 8 p.m.

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