The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

U SPORTS men’s basketball continued following the winter break, and Bahamian players continued to compete at the top level in Canada with mixed results.

Shamarr Burrows, Jordan Wilson and the Dalhousie Tigers continue their undefeated run in the AUS with a weekend series sweep over the Memorial Seahawks.

The Tigers are currently 8-0 and one of three undefeated teams in the country along with No.1 Carleton (11-0 - OUA East) and No.3 Calgary (10-0 - Canada West).

Burrows became more involved in the rotation toward the end of the break and that momentum continued to open the second half of the season.

In game one, the Tigers won handedly, 81-53. Burrows finished with 9 points (on 4-6 shooting from the field), four rebounds and two steals in a season-high 22 minutes. Wilson finished with four points, four rebounds and three assists in just 15 minutes.

Game two was an even more lopsided win as the Tigers emerged with an 83-42 win. Burrows finished with 12 points (5-7 shooting from the field), seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in 17 minutes while Wilson added six points and three rebounds in 18 minutes.

The Tigers look to remain unbeaten Wednesday when they travel to face Azaro Roker and the St Francis Xavier X-Men in the first of a two-game series.

Last season, the Tigers finished the regular season 14-5, won the AUS Conference Championship (the fourth in five years) and finished fourth overall in the U Sports Final Eight.

The X-Men are now 4-4 on the season after they defeated the UNB Reds 85-73 in their first game back from the break.

Roker finished with his seventh double double of the season - 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The X-Men scored 31 points in the fourth quarter to break open a close game. The X-Men led 16-15 after one quarter, 28-26 at the half and 54-52 headed into the fourth. Roker scored a basket on a decisive 8-0 run to open the final quarter as the X-Men built a 10-point lead.

In his final season, Roker is averaging 17.9 points and 13.1 rebounds per game to lead the X-Men.

Last season he averaged 10 points and was a conference leader with 10 rebounds and two blocked shots per game.

The X-Men were the No.5 seed in the AUS tournament, but were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

Assistant coach Ollen Smith along with forwards Qyemah Gibson and Sebastian Gray saw their St Mary’s Huskies fall to 3-5 on the season with an 82-61 loss to the Cape Breton Capers. Gibson led the Huskies with 13 points and six rebounds while Gray finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Capers outscored the Huskies 29-9 in the third quarter to lead by as many as 36 at one point.The Huskies host the UPEI Panthers January 10 and 11.

Last season, St Mary’s concluded the regular season at 19-1 and finished in first place in the AUS standings.

In the conference finals the Huskies were the subject of the biggest upset of the season when they lost to the Tigers.

The Huskies advanced to the U Sports Men’s Basketball Final Eight last season and finished sixth overall.