The Memorial Sea-Hawks’ men’s and women’s teams look to continue their promising start to the 2019-20 Atlantic University Sport basketball campaigns this weekend in Sydney, N.S. with a pair of games each against the University of Cape Breton Capers.
Both teams head into weekend play at 1-1 following season-opening splits last weekend against the University of New Brunswick Reds at the Field House on the MUN campus.
The Sea-Hawks men’s team came just short of sweeping the Reds, falling 107-101 in overtime Sunday afternoon.
That result came on the heels of an 86-72 Memorial win over UNB Saturday night.
St. John’s native Cole Long made his Memorial debut after three seasons of NCAA basketball with the University of Detroit-Mercy, scoring 24 points and pulling down seven rebounds Saturday night. Sunday, Long settled for 14 points and 11 boards.
Nathan Barker, a first-team conference all-star last season, scored 25 points and recorded 11 rebounds in Sunday’s OT loss.
The weekend series with the Reds saw the return of Deng Ring to the Sea-Hawks’ fold. Ring sat out the past two years as a red shirt after playing the 2015-16 and 2016-17 AUS seasons with Memorial.
Ring joins his brother, Emanuel, the reigning conference rookie of the year, on the Sea-Hawks. Both are products of Prince of Wales Collegiate in St. John’s.
“Getting back into form after not playing for two years will be an adjustment,” said Sea-Hawks coach Peter Benoite of Deng Ring, “but he’s very athletic.”
The Capers are also 1-1 after splitting a pair of games last weekend against the Acadia Axemen, including an overtime win.
Cape Breton was ranked fourth in the AUS pre-season coaches poll, while the Sea-Hawks were fifth.
The last time the Sea-Hawks and Capers women’s basketball teams met each other was in the 2019 conference semifinal, where Memorial won 90-82 (MUN lost 84-74 to Acadia in the AUS final).
Both the Sea-Hawks and Capers are 1-1 after splits last weekend. Memorial lost 80-75 to UNB Sunday following a 67-49 win Saturday night.
Fourth-year guard Sammi Deakin-Sharpe from Brisbane, Australia appeared in only three games last season, but enjoyed a solid 2019-20 debut Saturday night with 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
“UNB is a very experienced and talented team in our league,” Sea-Hawks coach Mark English said, “so for us to come away with a win and battle hard in Game 2, we feel that is a great step forward for our young group.”
Meanwhile, at the Field House this weekend, the 0-3 Sea-Hawks play host to the 0-4 University of Moncton in a pair of AUS women’s volleyball games. Start times are 7 p.m. today and 1 o’clock Sunday afternoon.
