X-Men season comes to conclusion

(HALIFAX, N.S.) - The top-seeded Cape Breton Capers overpowered the fifth-seeded StFX X-Men 80-70 in Subway AUS semifinal action Saturday night at the Halifax Metro Centre.

With the win, the Capers advance to Sunday's Subway AUS championship game.

Second-year forward Meshack Lufile was named Subway Player of the Game, collecting 18 points and six rebounds to go along with two blocks.

X-Men fifth-year forward Jeremy Dunn had a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds in a losing effort.

Both teams traded chances throughout the first quarter but it was the X-Men who came out on top after the first ten minutes outscoring the Capers 20-16.

Fifth-year guard and offensive catalyst Tyrell Vernon led the charge for the X-Men setting up two crucial baskets that put the blue and white ahead heading into the second quarter.

The CIS No.2-ranked Capers came back with a vengeance in the second, outscoring the X-Men 24-16 to take a 44-36 lead into the second half.

Second-year forward Meshack Lufile was a difference maker for the Capers as he notched a team-high eight points in the quarter to go along with a huge block on X-Men forward Jeremy Dunn that electrified fans in the Halifax Metro Centre.

Cape Breton continued their hot play from the first half into the third quarter as they matched the X-Men shot for shot to outscore them 17-16. Third-year forward Sean McCormick paced the Capers attack collecting five points in the quarter.

The high-octane offense expected of the two teams shone through in the fourth quarter with each scoring 20 points apiece. The X-Men started the quarter on a 17-7 run off the backs of strong play from veterans Vernon and Dunn, but it was the AUS first-seeded Capers who eventually came out on top, neutralizing the X-Men attack late in the quarter and coming away with an 80-70 victory.

Capers forward Sean McCormick was 8-11 from field-goal range and produced 19 points to help the Capers advance to the AUS championship game while Vernon provided consistent offense for the X-Men scoring 19 points in the loss.

The Capers will now face the AUS second seeded Acadia Axemen in the championship final afternoon at 2p.m.