Box Score

In a consolation fight for third place honours at the 2015 House-Laughton Tournament, the Toronto Varsity Blues claimed their first win of the weekend in an 83-79 decision over the Acadia Axemen.
 
Daniel Johansson led the way for Toronto with 16 points and seven rebounds, while guard Sage Usher staged an impressive performance with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Varsity Blues lived by the three-pointer as they converted 10 long-range shots in the game, with three of them coming courtesy of 6-5 forward Manny Sahota.
 
The Varsity Blues played their best basketball of the entire tournament in the first half. A strong first quarter start lifted Toronto to a 28-16 lead after ten minutes of play. Daniel Johansson went 3-4 from the floor, scoring six points and adding four rebounds. Sahota dished out three assists to keep the offence ticking, while third-year forward Kwasi Oti-Awere added six points.
 
Seven Varsity Blues players got onto the scoresheet in the first in a balanced attack. Acadia limped out the starting block, but were kept afloat through forward Erik Nissen's six points and three rebounds in the opening quarter.
 
The Axemen responded well in the second quarter as they outscored Toronto 23-22 to climb back into the game. Acadia's offence started rolling through fifth-year senior Shaquille Smith, whose penetrating moves into the paint posed problems for the Varsity Blues. Toronto led 50-39 at the midway point.
 
Acadia's Erik Nissen went off in the third quarter as he scored 11 points, including two hoops with the harm along with several conversions from the free-throw line. The Axemen cut their deficit to only six points at the end of three, with Toronto still leading 63-57.
 
Down but not out, Acadia continued to play well into the fourth. Shaquille Smith scored a beautiful basket on a drive to the hole with 1:42 left in the game to give the Axemen a 74-73 lead. However, Toronto head coach John Campbell settled down his troops in the final moments as the Varsity Blues pushed their way back into control with under a minute to play. A few late baskets and free throw shots sealed the deal for Toronto.
 
Toronto (1-2) finishes the House-Laughton in third place while Acadia (0-3) heads back to Wolfville, NS to assess their trying weekend.
 
Courtesy Carleton Sports Infomormation