Niare, Jackson lift X-Men to statement road win

Sydney, NS – The STFX X-Men closed strong to earn an 86–68 win over the Cape Breton Capers Saturday night, earning a key road victory at Sullivan Fieldhouse. STFX broke open a game in the fourth quarter after a tense three quarters of play.

The X-Men came out sharp, shooting 55.6% in the opening frame and building a 26–19 lead behind early inside pressure from Nicolas Niare and DJ Jackson. But as their shooting dipped in the second and third quarters, Cape Breton hung around and gradually turned the game into a possession-by-possession grind.

The Capers' best stretch came in the third, when Stefan Anisko heated up from deep on his way to 24 points and 5 threes. With support from Aaron Cunningham (13 points) and Josiah McKnight (12 points), CBU cut the deficit to six and briefly controlled the tempo. STFX, meanwhile, struggled to a 23.5% shooting quarter and managed just 12 points, opening the door for a potential home-team comeback.

But the fourth belonged entirely to STFX. The visitors rediscovered their rhythm, exploding for 27 points on 63.2% shooting, while holding Cape Breton to just 10. Jackson and Niare powered the finishing kick—Jackson with an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double, and Niare with a steady 21 points and 9 boards. Their control of the interior helped the X-Men dominate the glass 51–41 and limit CBU's second chances.

STFX's depth also swung the game late. Matt Pennell provided 11 points and three threes off the bench, Tariq Armstrong added 10 points and a team-high 6 assists, and Koat Thomas chipped in 11 and 7 boards. With the offense flowing again and defensive pressure tightening, the X-Men pulled away decisively.

With the win the X-Men improve to 7-3 on the season in second place in the AUS standings heading into the Christmas break. They will be back on the court on Friday, January 9^th when they host the Memorial Sea-Hawks in an 8:00 pm game on Coach K Court.

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