Panthers close strong, outlast Acadia 87–76

By Thomas Becker

The Acadia Axemen shot it well all night—nearly 48 per cent from the floor and close to 70 per cent in the opening quarter—and the UPEI Panthers still didn't blink. They stayed patient, won the possession game, and waited for the moment to take control.

That moment came late Saturday night at Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, where UPEI (7-10) closed strong for an 87-76 win over Acadia (11-6) to move closer to a playoff spot. Hugo Bermejo set the tone throughout, building toward a career-high 22 points and seizing control when the game was there to be won. 

Acadia dictated the opening quarter with confident shot-making and pace. The Axemen jumped out early, scoring on their first two possessions and pushing the lead to 16-7 midway through the frame behind strong play from Donovan Reid and Robbie Grant. UPEI struggled to find a rhythm early, but effort plays kept it from getting away. Sam Dyck generated second chances on the glass, and the Panthers' bench injected life late in the quarter. Owen Smith scored six quick points, and Nicolas Gonzalez Longarela added timely finishes, trimming the deficit to 27-22 after one.

The second quarter shifted into a more physical, possession-by-possession battle. Acadia remained composed and continued to answer runs, while UPEI turned up its defensive pressure. Kyree Thompson was aggressive attacking the paint, scoring seven points in the quarter, and Abilash Surendran protected the rim with timely blocks. The Panthers struggled to find rhythm from the perimeter but stayed close by getting to the foul line and forcing turnovers. Acadia's ability to steady itself late in the half sent the visitors into the break with a 47-43 advantage. 

Momentum swung repeatedly in the third. UPEI struck first with Bermejo knocking down back-to-back threes to briefly give the Panthers a 49-47 edge. However, Acadia continued to hit from the perimeter and regained the lead 61-58 late in the quarter. Each time the Axemen threatened to separate, UPEI answered. A late three from Smith cut the deficit back to 64-61 heading into the fourth, keeping the game within reach. 

The game turned decisively early in the fourth. UPEI strung together stops and scores to seize momentum, edging in front 65-64 before stretching the lead to 69-67 on a powerful Gonzalez Longarela dunk that energized the building. From there, the Panthers dictated the pace, pairing disciplined defence with timely execution. A key defensive stand followed by a quick conversion pushed the lead to 73-67 and forced Acadia into catch-up mode. Bermejo controlled the closing stretch, mixing finishes at the rim with trips to the foul line as UPEI extended the margin to 79-75 in the final two minutes. The Panthers closed it out at the line, riding an 18-7 run down the stretch to secure the win

Smith was sensational off the bench, going 7-of-8 from the field with six rebounds. Longarela chipped in 13 points, while UPEI dominated key areas: 46-28 points in the paint, 14 second-chance points, and 22 points off turnovers.

For Acadia, Gabe Davignon led all Axemen with 15 points, while Reid and Grant each scored 12. Despite shooting 55 per cent from three, the Axemen couldn't match UPEI's physical edge late.

The Panthers now shift their focus to a home weekend series against the Cape Breton Capers.

Photos by Janessa Vanden Broek