Mystics defeat Tommies 90 – 83
Jaydan Smith finished with a game-high 26 points in victory.
(Halifax, NS) The Mount Saint Vincent Mystics defeated the St. Thomas Tommies 90 – 83 at the A. Garnet Memorial Gymnasium.
Leading the charge for the Mystics was Jaydan Smith (Beechville, NS), he finished with a game-high 26 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Jaxon Smith (Beechville, NS) tallied 18 points, with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Demeric Mercer (Halifax, NS) chipped in with 17 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds off the bench.
Noah McCarthy (Grand Falls, NB) led the Tommies offence in defeat, finished with a team-high 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. River Lanz (Rothesay, NB) supported the Tommies with 22 points and 5 rebounds.
In the anticipated rematch from last year's ACAA Championship, both teams came out ready to compete. The Mystics got into foul trouble early but weathered the storm to take the 25 - 19 lead after the first quarter, highlighted by an Adam Callaghan (Sydney, NS) steal which led to a three-point shot by Jaydan Smith.
The Tommies intensified their defence in the second quarter, highlighted by a Mystics turnover which led to a McCarthy lay-up, causing the Mystics to call a timeout. Momentum swung when Mercer subbed back into the game and made a driving lay-up. Jaydan Smith made a three point shot, causing the Tommies to call a timeout of their own. The Mystics took the lead into halftime with a score of 45-38.
The Mystics came out hot at the start of the third quarter, highlighted by consecutive threes by Jaxon Smith and Jaydan Smith, forcing the Tommies into a quick timeout out of the break. The Tommies answered the early flurry out of the timeout with a set play to break the Mystics press, with a McCarthy three. Teams traded baskets back and forth throughout the quarter, but Isaac Matheson (Bedford, NS) had a strong lay-up drive, which drew a foul. He made the free throw for the and-1 play. The Mystics extended their lead to 66 – 56 at the end of the third quarter.
The Mystics looked to add to their double-digit lead at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Tommies went on a run to start the quarter, led by Lanz's key three-pointer. The game looked to shift when Keigan Feron (Bedford, NS) drove to the basket and whipped a pass through the defence to hit his teammate Jaxon Smith for a contested three. Feron followed the play with a steal that led to a Jaxon Smith transition layup. The plays forced the Tommies to take a timeout to regroup and attempt their comeback. The Tommies continued to claw back into the game but the Mystics sealed the victory with a Mercer lay-up and a Jaxon Smith steal that wrapped the game up for the Mystics. The Mystics ended up winning 90 – 83.
The Mystics moved to 4-0 and the Tommies fell to 2-2. The Mystics return to the court tomorrow when they host the UNBSJ Seawolves at 3:00pm. The Tommies travel to the University of King's College tomorrow when they face off with the Blue Devils at 4:00pm.