Tigers down Axemen 81-75

RECAP BY: Ethan Hunt

(Halifax, NS) - The Dalhousie Tigers defeated the Acadia Axemen 81-75 on Saturday night at the Dalplex in Halifax, NS.

Nginyu Ngala (Montreal, QC) scored 21 points, including clutch free throws, and Parker took home player of the game for his eight points and six rebounds to edge out the Axemen

Dalhousie scored the first points of the game off of a Spencer Riar (Montreal, QC) layup that was followed by Erik Hayden (Truro, NS) swishing a three pointer.

Miguel Perez Boskovic (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) entered the game for Acadia and instantly made an impact, first when he swished a three, then went into contact for a layup.

Lydell Husbands-Browne (Halifax, NS) did the same with a great effort throwing the ball back to Parker while running out of bounds, then came back in the play and made a three point shot.

When the first quarter buzzer rang Acadia had a one point lead 20-19.

The Tigers got the lead back thanks to a Parker offensive rebound, and when Ngala created space in the paint and rose up over the much taller defender for the layup.

Boskovic and Ryan Munro (Halifax, NS) made two threes for the Axemen, but Gabe Damey (Ypsilanti, Michigan) stepped through the paint for the tough layup to give Dalhousie a one point lead.

After Acadia grew a five point lead from a midrange from Gabe Davignon (White Lakes, NS), Gabe Marotullio (London, ON), Ngala, and Malcolm Christie (Fredericton, NB) each added three pointers to give the Tigers a 36-33 lead with a minute and a half remaining.

The Tigers scored two more points and went into halftime up 38-33.

Out of the break Glen Cox (Scotsburn, NS) sank a layup and Kyle Munro (Halifax, NS) added on a midrange jumper, but Riar made a three point shot on the next possession to restore the lead. 

Cox scored a layup while falling down, and after a turnover by Dalhousie, Acadia looked prime for a comeback, but Parker shut that all down with a thunderous two hand slam.

The Tigers went into the final quarter up 61-52.

Out of the break Ngala took his defender off the dribble and scored a midrange, and Cox came flying down the court, scored the layup plus the foul, then Davigon splashed a clutch three pointer.

With a three a point lead with five and a half minutes remaining, Christie hit a huge off the dribble three, and Husbands-Browne made a steal after an Acadian offensive rebound to give DAL some insurance. 

Davignon hit another three to cut the lead to five, and then followed that up by making a three plus the foul, but he missed the free throw. 

A Munro three and a Maillet putback led to the Tigers having a 76-74 lead with a minute remaining.

The Axemen got the ball with 46 seconds remaining, and after a chaotic sequence, Dalhousie ended up with the stop, and Maillet and Ngala put the game away with free throws to end the game 81-75.

Acadia will travel back to Wolfville where they will welcome UPEI on Friday, and Dalhousie will face Memorial at the Dalplex on the same day.

PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce