Defending champs deliver first punch, advance past Capers

By Thomas Becker

The defending champions are still standing, and they made sure everyone in the building felt their presence early.

The UPEI Panthers advanced to the Atlantic University Sport semifinals with a 66-59 win over the Cape Breton Capers Friday afternoon at Scotiabank Centre, leaning on a fast start, sound defensive play, and just enough execution late to survive a tense finish. 

All-star guard Kyree Thompson led the way for the Panthers with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Hugo Bermejo finished with seven points, 13 rebounds, and six assists. Sam Chisholm led all bench scorers with 11 points and five rebounds. But the tone of the afternoon was set long before the final minute, and it was set with intent.

"We went in there looking to punch first," Thompson said. "Get a quick run in, attack the hoop, kind of set the tone for the whole game."

UPEI entered as the underdog on paper and with regular-season history working against them, the Panthers didn't play like a team waiting for something to happen. After falling behind 6-4, they stormed back with a 16-3 run, turning stops into transition chances and paint touches. By the end of the opening quarter, the Panthers were up 30-21—a statement start that forced Cape Breton to chase the game from there. 

The tempo dipped in the second, possessions tightening and space shrinking, but UPEI stayed composed. Then, as the half expired, Owen Smith buried a buzzer-beating three to stretch the lead to 44-31—a shot that felt decisive in the moment. Playoff basketball, however, has a way of refusing easy endings.

Cape Breton made its push after halftime, outscoring UPEI 17-12 in the third quarter to trim the deficit to eight (56-48) heading into the fourth. Tafarian Black led the Capers with 19 points, while Liai Tong added 12, as the duo tried to will their team back in the game. 

UPEI didn't panic. "We knew they were going to go on a run," Thompson said. "It was just about staying composed… We weathered the storm and punched right back."

And in the fourth, the game became a scrap. The rim seemed to shrink on both ends. Every drive was crowded. Every finish came with contact. Every rebound felt like it carried weight. That's when Thompson pointed back to the identity this group has leaned on all season.

"Defence is a focus in practice every day," he said. "We just went out there and kind of did that—trusted each other and trusted the system.

Bermejo delivered the back-breaking response late, converting back-to-back layups to put UPEI up 10 inside the final minute, all but sealing the win.

Now comes the one they've been waiting for. UPEI and St. FX. Saturday at 3 p.m. A rematch of last year's championship final. Thompson didn't sugarcoat what's ahead.

"It's going to be a dog fight," he said. "But I believe in my guys. We're just going to go out there and fight, stay with what we know best, and see what happens."