The Cape Breton Capers men’s basketball team’s season came to an end Friday evening with a heartbreaking buzzer-beater to conclude the year.
Marcus Masters shot hit the top of the backboard and bounced into the net as the clock hit zero, lifting the New Brunswick Reds to a 77-76 victory over the Capers at the AUS championship tournament at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.
The Capers controlled the first quarter, scoring six three-point shots, including one from CJ Bennett with just seconds remaining, giving Cape Breton a 32-11 lead.
New Brunswick responded in the second quarter with seven unanswered points to begin the frame. The Reds would outscore the Capers 19-12 in the quarter, but Cape Breton led 44-30 at halftime.
Cape Breton held a 20-point lead in the third, but New Brunswick would battle back scoring eight unanswered to cut the Capers lead to 12, setting up the buzzer-beater in the fourth.
Masters and Chris Spurrell both had 20 points apiece for the Reds. Ibrahima Doumbouya chipped in with 15 points.
Osman Omar had a game-high 31 points for the Capers. Paul Watson recorded 13 points, while Bennett had 11 points.
New Brunswick will now play the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in the tournament semifinals on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at Scotiabank Centre.
The other semifinal will feature Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s, who defeated Memorial 81-57 in the first quarter-final Friday afternoon.
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