StFX punches ticket to AUS championship game

Halifax, NS – The StFX X-Men punched their ticket to the AUS championship game with an exciting 93-89 victory over the AUS top ranked Acadia Axemen Saturday evening in semifinal action at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Down 52-37 at halftime, the X-Men stormed back to outscore the Axemen 29-13 in the third quarter to lead by a single point after 30 minutes.

Subway player of the game Jameel Williamson, a first year guard with the X-Men in his fourth year of eligibility, sparked the offense with 14 points in the third quarter, including a pair of three-pointers.

Veteran guard Will Donkoh scored nine of his team-high 31 points in the third quarter. He added 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals on the evening for StFX.

Williamson had 4 rebounds, 5 steals and a game-high 12 assists for StFX who found themselves down 28-14 after the first quarter.

The league-leading Axemen came our blazing in the opening half, draining 7 three-points buckets including 3-for-3 from second year forward Kyle Arseneault who had 16 first half points.

AUS MVP and defensive player of the year Owen Klassen also netted 16 points in the first half. He picked up another 20 in the second frame to lead all scorers in the game with 36. He had 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.

Fellow fifth year seniors Anthony Sears and Anthony Ashe scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Arseneault finished with 23 points and 7 rebounds.

With the X-Men up by a single point heading into the fourth quarter, the teams exchanged baskets keeping the score within four points until a Donkoh three-pointer gave the X-Men a seven-point edge with 5:49 to play.

The Axemen kept the game within reach down the stretch and were losing by two points with 1:23 to play. The X-Men went 6-6 in free throws in the final minutes as a Klassen miscue on a free throw attempt opened the door for StFX to hang onto their lead and the game.

StFX forced the Axemen to turn over the ball 13 times in the second half of play.

Julius Antoine scored 12 points for StFX in their second consecutive come-from-behind victory in as many days. Kevin Bercy netted 11 and Jordan Clarke added 10.

The X-Men advance to play the second-seeded Saint Mary's Huskies in Sunday's AUS championship game. Tip-off is 2:00 pm at the Halifax Metro Centre. The winner will receive a berth in the CIS Final 8 men's basketball championship being hosted by Carleton University March 7-9 in Ottawa.

The Huskies earned their spot in the final after topping the UPEI Panthers 94-78 in Saturday night's second semifinal game.

In regular season match-ups, the Huskies hold a 3-1 record over the X-Men this year.

The X-Men last won the AUS champisonship baner in 2006 and hold a total of 12 conference titles. They were finalists in 2012, 2010 and 2009.

Saint Mary's last won in 2008 and hold 13 total titles.