Panthers crush Capers 83-63, lock up playoff bye
Saturday night’s showdown between the UPEI Panthers and the Cape Breton Capers may not have been a playoff game on paper, but it had all the makings of one.
By Thomas Becker
Saturday night's showdown between the UPEI Panthers and the Cape Breton Capers may not have been a playoff game on paper, but it had all the makings of one.
The stakes were high, the energy was electric, and both teams fought tooth and nail for a crucial first-round bye. A win meant a direct ticket to the semifinals, avoiding the grind of an extra game on the path to a championship. With everything on the line, the Panthers (12-8) rose to the occasion, delivering a statement 83-63 victory with a relentless defensive effort and a commanding performance on both ends of the floor.
The win not only earned UPEI the crucial bye but also set the stage for a potential playoff rematch with the Capers (12-8). If Cape Breton wins their next game, they'll meet the Panthers again in a high-stakes semifinal showdown next Saturday.
"This entire week, we treated this game like it was the playoffs," said Kamari Scott, who played his final home game as a Panther. "There was no real pressure—we knew we were in the playoffs either way—but securing that second seed was something we really wanted."
Scott said he appreciated the warm reception he received from the home crowd which has supported him throughout his six-year journey with the program.
"The emotions were high tonight. It brought me to tears, just seeing how much this community supports me and this team and reflecting on how far we've come. Their support means everything—it doesn't go unnoticed, and I'm truly grateful."
Kyree Thompson set the tone for the Panthers with a dominant performance, racking up a game-high 23 points, five steals, and four rebounds. Scott made his presence felt and left it all on the floor with 16 points and nine rebounds. Daniel Gonzalez Longarela was a force in the paint, securing a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Sam Chisholm provided a strong all-around effort, contributing 11 points and nine boards to round out UPEI's balanced attack.
While UPEI's offence was firing on all cylinders, it was their suffocating defence that defined the game. The Panthers clamped down on the high-scoring Capers, holding them to just 63 points—far below their season average of 82.9. Shakael Pryce paced Cape Breton with 14 points and six assists, while Stefan Anisko chipped in 12. The Panthers disrupted passing lanes, contested every shot, and never allowed the Capers to find their rhythm, setting the tone for a commanding victory.
Cape Breton came out firing, grabbing an early 6-4 lead behind back-to-back three-pointers from Pryce and Anisko. But the Panthers quickly found their groove, answering with a 9-2 run to take a 13-8 advantage, punctuated by a tough finish at the rim from Gonzalez Longarela. Anisko's second three kept the Capers within reach, but UPEI refused to slow down. Scott and Chisholm powered through the defense for layups, stretching the lead to 19-11, before Thompson drilled a big three to push it to 22-15. By the end of the first quarter, the Panthers were in control with a 26-17 lead, fuelled by Chisholm's eight-point outburst.
The Panthers carried their momentum into the second quarter, starting with a smooth layup from Thompson and a strong finish inside by Gonzalez Longarela to extend the lead to 30-17. UPEI kept their foot on the gas, unleashing a dominant 9-0 run to take full control at 35-17. Thompson then put an exclamation point on the surge with a step-back three, making it 38-19. Cape Breton fought back late in the quarter, trimming the deficit to 46-37 by halftime.
Thompson wasted no time asserting himself in the second half, scoring back-to-back layups to extend UPEI's lead to 50-37. However, Cape Breton refused to go away, mounting a 10-1 run to cut the deficit to 56-48 with just under four minutes left in the third. But just as the Capers gained momentum, Thompson silenced their surge with a smooth jumper, followed by a corner three to push the lead back to 65-50 going into the fourth.
As the minutes ticked away, Hugo Bermejo put the game out of reach with a clutch three-pointer, extending UPEI's lead to 72-54. Moments later, Chisholm muscled his way inside for a tough and-one finish, pushing the margin to 77-58. From there, the Panthers tightened their grip, controlling the pace and shutting down any hopes of a Cape Breton comeback.
Photo Credit: Janessa Vanden Broek
