Panthers lock down MVP, punch ticket back to final

By Thomas Becker

Few believed in them.

But on Saturday, the Panthers reminded everyone who the defending champions are. 

In the first true upset of the 2026 AUS Men's Basketball Championship, the fourth-ranked UPEI Panthers knocked off the top-seeded St. FX X-Men 77-62 at Scotiabank Centre, punching their ticket to Sunday's championship final and putting themselves one win away from defending last year's title.

It was the kind of win that didn't rely on one hot streak or a lucky stretch of shooting. It was built on a plan and then executed with force. 

That plan started with DJ Jackson.

The two-time MVP has been the engine of the conference's most dangerous offence for years, but on Saturday he wasn't to be found. UPEI swallowed him up with a mix of size, ball pressure, and discipline. Sam Dyck drew the opening matchup, Sam Chisholm took his turns, and whenever Jackson tried to turn the corner, UPEI was ready to show him traffic. 

The results were loud: Jackson finished with seven points on 3-of-15 shooting.

"We've got to give credit to our coaches," said Abilash Surendran. "They prepare us all season for this. All the work we put in, we were ready."

While UPEI took away St. FX's headliner, the Panthers were the aggressors on the other end. They relentlessly hunted paint touches, drove downhill, and played through their bigs—a physical edge that tilted the game possession by possession. 

Surendran was the tone-setter. The veteran forward delivered a monster performance with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, seven rebounds, and a steal, consistently finishing in traffic and punishing switches.

After missing last season while recovering from injury, Surendran finally had his postseason moment on the floor.

"I've been waiting a long time," he said. "Recovering all last year. I circled this date on the calendar… But I was ready today. My team was ready. And we've got one more game." 

Nicolas Gonzalez Longarela gave UPEI another steady interior presence, posting 13 points and six boards off the bench, while consistently making St. FX feel contact at the rim. 

The numbers told the story of the physicality: UPEI won the paint 44-26, and turned defence into offence by taking the turnover battle and converting it into an 18-4 advantage in points off giveaways.

"I think we just had that chip on our shoulder," Surendran said. "We were the champs last year and people still don't believe in us. So let's go make a statement." 

The opening quarter showed the blueprint early. UPEI came out sharp, defending with purpose and attacking the rim without hesitation. Surendran finished a layup in the early minutes and the Panthers built a quick cushion before St. FX settled. Even as the X-Men responded, UPEI's depth kept the pace high, and a late pair of free throws helped the Panthers take a 17-15 lead after one.

The second quarter was a grind and that suited UPEI just fine.

Both teams went through a stretch where clean looks were hard to come by, but the Panthers stayed committed to the same script: defend first, then go to the paint. St. FX pulled even behind its supporting cast and went to halftime tied 31-31.

The third quarter is where the Panthers created separation.

UPEI's pressure forced mistakes, their bigs cashed in at the rim, and Dyck provided a huge lift with timely shot-making, finishing with nine points and a team-high six rebounds. 

UPEI won the quarter 22-16 and finally had St. FX chasing. And once UPEI got its hands around the game, they didn't let go.

The fourth quarter was the closing statement: more rim pressure, more physical finishes, and stops that never allowed St. FX to build belief. Hugo Bermejo quietly stitched everything together with 15 points and four assists, making the extra play when it was there and punishing openings when St. FX overcommitted.

UPEI won the final frame 24-15 and walked off with a 15-point win. 

The Panthers will face the Acadia Axemen at 4 p.m. Sunday with the championship on the line.

They'll celebrate this one, albeit briefly.

"We'll enjoy it for the next hour," Surendran said. "Then it's back to business. Recover, eat, rest, and get ready. Same thing tomorrow—energy right from the gate. We've got to punch them in the mouth."