Smith ignites fourth-quarter avalanche as Panthers clinch playoff spot
Owen Smith turned the fourth quarter into his own highlight reel.
By Thomas Becker
Owen Smith turned the fourth quarter into his own highlight reel. The veteran guard scored 17 points in the final frame—including five threes—as the UPEI Panthers exploded for a 37-17 fourth to roll past the Cape Breton Capers 100-88 Friday night.
The finish capped a game that swung back and forth for three quarters before Smith and the Panthers (8-10) blew it open late, overwhelming the Capers (9-9) with shooting, pace, and defensive pressure when it mattered most.
UPEI set the tone early, jumping out to a 12-3 lead behind back-to-back threes from Sam Dyck and Kyree Thompson. Cape Breton steadied itself with a quick response, using a 5-0 burst to trim the margin to 12-8 before finding rhythm from the perimeter. An Oroma Bongomin triple and a Mathieu Nader-Kalombo finish at the rim pulled the Capers within 16-13, but Smith answered with his first three of the night to push the lead back to six. Cape Breton closed the quarter strong, finishing on a 6-0 run to trail just 22–21 after one.
The second quarter remained a back-and-forth affair. Cape Breton pulled even at 28 on a Mathieu Nader-Kalombo layup just over two minutes in, and the teams traded punches through the middle of the frame. Nicolas Gonzalez Longarela gave UPEI a lift off the bench with a timely three to push the Panthers in front 37-33, but the Capers answered with a quick 5-0 run to swing momentum back their way. The half stayed tight to the buzzer, with Cape Breton edging ahead 47-45 at the break.
Cape Breton carried that momentum into the third. Stefan Anisko opened the half with five straight points as the visitors pushed the margin to 52-45, then extended it to 57-48 on a Tafarian Black three. UPEI needed a response, and it came from Tarrence Booker, who scored six straight points during a key stretch to keep the Panthers within striking distance. After Gonzalez Longarela finished inside to cut it to five, Cape Breton briefly surged again, stretching the lead to 67-56. UPEI answered with an 8-1 run late in the quarter, capped by a Smith three and a technical free throw, to close within 71-63 heading into the fourth.
Then the game flipped on a dime.
Two quick layups from Abilash Surendran, a Smith three, and a Thompson steal-and-finish fuelled a 9-0 run that vaulted UPEI in front 72-71 and forced a Cape Breton timeout. Aleer Aleer Leek followed with a three, and Smith took over from there, scoring from everywhere on the floor as the Panthers' lead ballooned.
Smith finished with a career-high 27 points on 7-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, including five threes during his 17-point fourth quarter. His shot-making broke the game open as UPEI shot 60 per cent from deep in the final frame and outscored Cape Breton 37-17 over the final 10 minutes.
The surge not only sealed the win, but clinched a playoff spot for the Panthers, ensuring they'll get the opportunity to defend their conference title in the postseason.
Gonzalez Longarela provided a major lift off the bench with 16 points and six rebounds, while Thompson flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds.
The teams meet again Saturday afternoon, with UPEI chasing a weekend sweep.
Photos by Janessa Vanden Broek
