The Rod Shoveller Memorial Basketball Tournament is named after an individual who inspired many.

“Rod exemplified the kind of passionate commitment to people and strength in the face of challenge.”

This quote is more than fitting as the city of Halifax was shut down due to Blizzard conditions over the weekend– The Rod Shoveller tournament persisted on and the teams competed with passion.

The Acadia Axemen went 3-0 on the weekend in winning this years tournament.  Owen Klassen was selected as the tournament MVP but the success of the Axemen is based 100% on quality team play.  This is a team that competes together and for each other on every possession and it showed in the overall quality of consistent play.

The Axemen captured the tourney by taking three solid wins over three conference opponents; Saint Mary’s, St FX and Dalhousie.

In their opening game, Acadia handled the Saint Mary’s Huskies 88-74 and were led by Owen Klassen’s 19 points and 13 rebounds, while receiving strong support from sharp shooting Anthony Ashe and Kyle Arseneault who chipped in with 18 points apiece.

In game two, The Axemen looked like they were in tough against a young and athletic X-Men until Anthony Ashe cashed the huge three to end the first half with a 3-point lead.

Acadia then came out and dismantled the X-Men in the third quarter, cruising to an 85-75 win. Klassen again led the way with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Anthony Sears added 15 points.

In game three, the Axemen played host Dalhousie who defeated them in league play 84-58.  The first quarter looked like it was going to be a great game as both teams battled to an even score. Over the next two quarters the Axemen locked down defensively and outscored the Tigers 47-28 as the Axemen cruised through the fourth quarter for an 85-69 win. Klassen and Sears again lead the Axemen with 15 apiece.

Tournament Awards

TOURNAMENT MVP: OWEN KLASSEN

TOURNAMENT ALL STARS:

BRIAN OFORI – UPEI PANTHERS

ANTHONY SEARS – ACADIA AXEMEN

 JORDAN CLARKE – ST FX X-MEN

DEVON STEDMAN – DALHOUSIE TIGERS

MATT MCLEAN – BISHOPS GAITORS

 

Tournament Results

Day 1

Acadia 88                                                  

Owen Klassen 19pts, 13 rebs

Anthony Ashe 19pts

Kyle Arseneault 18pts

Riley Halpin 13pts

Saint Mary’s 74

Marquis Clayton 18 pts

Terrance Taylor 15pts

Travis Adams 14pts

–

UPEI  88                                                         

Lorenzo Parker 18pts, 5rebs

Jayden Nordin 17pts, 6 rebs

Will Ceasar 13pts

Joe Kendrick 13pts, 7rebs

St Francis Xavier 72

Jordan Clarke 13pts

William Donkoh 12pts

Dave Benoit 12pts

–

Dalhousie 72                                                   

Devon Stedman 23pts, 7rebs

John Traboulsi 10pts

Bishops 64

Majid Naji 11pts

Day 2

Acadia 85 

Owen Klassen 27pts 14rebs

Anthony Seras 15pts

Jordan Clarke 14pts

St FX 75

Kevin Bercy 17pts 6rebs

Alex Arthur 15pts

*Key Play, Owen Klassen with the post seal and dunk to kill X run with about 4 minutes remaining.

–

Bishops 72                                                        

Onnex Blackwood 19pts

Najid Naji 13pts

Jona Bermillo 13pts

St Mary’s 53

Boyd Vassell 12pts

–

UPEI 80                                                             

Donothan Moss 20pts

Geoff Doane 16

Deontay Smith 16

Dalhousie 77

Devon Stedman 24pts 11rebs

Simon Marr 12pts

* Key Play, Ritchie Kanza Matta drops a runner with .5 seconds left to tie it at 77, on the inbound Deontay Smith hooks it from opposite elbow and knocks it in to give UPEI the W.

Day 3

St FX 66                                                           

Kevin Bercy 17pts 10rebs

Jordan Clarke 13pts 7rebs

 Bishops 60

Jona Bermillo 18pts 4asts

Onnex Blackwood 16pts

* Key play, Shane Coupland with the behind the back pass to Kevin Bercy for the And 1 in the last minute.

–

Saint Mary’s 94                                              

Marquis Clayton 24pts 9asts

Jeremy McAvoy 15pts

Riley Halpin 11pts

UPEI 85

Geoff Doane 23pts

Deontay Smith 20pts 8rebs

Brian Ofori 13pts

* Big Plays, Riley Halpin with two clutch threes down the stretch to put the game out of reach.

–

Acadia 85                                                         

Owen Klassen 15pts 8rebs

Anthony Sears 15pts

Kyle Arseneault 11pts

Dalhousie 69

Jarred Reid 15pts

Simon Marr 10pts