Rainford's 32 leads Panthers to sixth straight win
Lauren Rainford made sure her final home game as a Panther was one to remember, as she poured in a game-high 32 points to lead the UPEI Panthers to a 71-52 victory over the Cape Breton Capers Saturday night.
By Thomas Becker
Lauren Rainford made sure her final home game as a Panther was one to remember, as she poured in a game-high 32 points to lead the UPEI Panthers to a 71-52 victory over the Cape Breton Capers Saturday night.
The veteran leader took charge, relentlessly attacking and keeping the Panthers (14-6) in command all night. Samantha Zoffranieri provided a spark off the bench, sinking four of six three-pointers to finish with 14 points and six rebounds in an all-around strong performance.
Defence was once again the key factor for the Panthers, as they forced 28 turnovers, converting them into 28 points on the other end. Their defensive pressure was especially evident in their ability to contain Cape Breton's Kiyara Letlow, the conference's top scorer, holding her to just 12 points. Letlow managed a double-double with 11 rebounds but struggled to get into a rhythm. Chermensa Van La Parra led the Capers with 19 points, while Hannah Smith contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
The game started slowly on the offensive end, but Rainford provided the lift the Panthers needed. Three and a half minutes into the first quarter, she converted an and-one play to give UPEI a 7-4 lead. That bucket fueled a dominant 12-2 run, punctuated by a beautiful backdoor pass from Deborah Aboagye to Devon Lawlor for an uncontested lay-in.
With just over two minutes left in the quarter, Zoffranieri drilled a fastbreak three, extending the lead to 21-9 and forcing Cape Breton (10-10) into a timeout. By the end of the first, UPEI had built a 24-15 advantage, with Rainford and Lawlor leading the charge with a combined 15 points.
Cape Breton came out strong to start the second quarter, going on a 5-0 run capped by a Van La Parra three-pointer to cut the deficit to 24-20. However, Rainford answered with a smooth euro-step finish to push the lead back to eight. Zoffranieri continued her hot shooting, nailing her third triple of the half to give the Panthers a comfortable 39-25 lead at the break. Rainford had 13 points at halftime, while Zoffranieri added 11.
The third quarter was a defensive grind, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm offensively. Despite the low-scoring frame, UPEI maintained control and carried a 50-37 lead into the fourth.
Cape Breton made one last push as Van La Parra drained a three to cut the deficit to 54-44. Letlow then muscled inside for a basket, bringing the Capers within six, but that was as close as they would get.
UPEI wasted no time shutting the door on any Cape Breton comeback hopes. Sydney Cummins powered in a layup, followed by another deep three from the red-hot Zoffranieri. Moments later, Rainford delivered the final blow, muscling through contact for an and-one, stretching the lead to 64-49 and putting the game out of reach.
The win pushes their streak to six and locks in the third seed for the AUS Championship in Halifax. With momentum on their side, the Panthers are set to take on the UNB Reds in quarter-final action this Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Photo Credit: Janessa Vanden Broek
