February 26, 2009
OUA W-BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: ROC SOLID LANCERS, UPSTART GEE-GEES VIE FOR OUA TITLE
WINDSOR, Ont. - Led by the sensational play of Dranadia Roc (Montreal, Que.) and Alisa Wulff (Pickering, Ont.), the No. 2 nationally-ranked Windsor Lancers women's basketball team captured their first-ever OUA West Division championship with a convincing 82-61 victory over the Western Mustangs at the St. Denis Centre.
With the victory, the Lancers now qualify for the CIS national championship tournament in Regina, Sask. for the first time ever in school history. CIS nationals are set for March 6 to 8 in Regina.
Windsor turned in a dominating performance in front of a capacity crowd at the St. Denis Centre as they now advance to host the OUA Women's Basketball Championship on Saturday.
On Wednesday night, the Lancers came out on fire as they thrilled the crowd with an offensive performance that showed why they are ranked No. 2 in Canada.
Wulff was lighting it up from all over the court as she knocked down a number of long-range jumpers to give her team an early 10-point lead.
Windsor controlled the play at both ends of the court as they led 20-8 after one quarter of play.
In the second quarter, the Mustangs picked up their intensity as they tried to battle back against the streaking Lancers.
However, Roc also began to catch fire as she hit a number of big shots to help her squad maintain their double-digit lead. Windsor took a 38-26 lead into the break.
The second half was all Windsor as Roc and Wulff lit up the floor with a barrage of three-point baskets that brought the crowd to their feet. In all, Wulff hit on 5-of-6 from long range while Roc hit on 3-of-6 from three-point land as the Lancers built a 25-point lead in the second half.
The Mustangs tried to mount a charge early in the fourth quarter but it was too little too late as the Lancers cruised to the 81-62 victory and the OUA West Championship.
For Windsor, Roc finished with 23 points and was named the OUA Wilson Sports Equipment Player of the Game. Wulff finished with 21 points and seven rebounds and was equally as dominant in the victory.
The Lancer Women will now host the OUA Women's Basketball Championship on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the St. Denis Centre against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The game is part of what is being billed as the MEGA BOWL doubleheader and will follow the men's basketball OUA West semi-final game between Windsor and the McMaster Marauders which is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday.
There will be a single ticket price for both games on Saturday as part of the Mega Bowl Promotion. Mega Bowl tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $5 for children who are 12 and under.
Source: Lancers Athletics
Photo Credit: Craig Glover
OTTAWA 68, TORONTO 55
TORONTO, Ont. - Third-year guard Kelly Weir (Ottawa, Ont.) and fourth-year guard Allison Forbes (Riverview, N.B.) each scored 14 points Wednesday as Ottawa Gee-Gees women's basketball team went from nearly worst to first, leading from wire-to-wire in winning the OUA East Division championship with a 68-55 road victory over Toronto.
Ottawa will advance to Saturday's OUA final at (Windsor), champions of the OUA West
"We've had some history against U of T, which makes it that much sweeter," said Weir, who hit three-of-four three-point baskets as the Gee-Gees avenged an 0-2 regular season against the first-place Varsity Blues to end their season.
The Gee-Gees also won a fifth-straight game and qualified for a third-ever berth to the CIS tournament regardless of Saturday's result.
"I think we gave them a little bit of trouble with our changing defences," said OUA East Division Coach of the Year Andy Sparks, who engineered a dramatic turn-around as first-year coach, inheriting a 3-19 team and leading it to a division championship in just seven months on the job.
"They have over-done it."
Forbes, a fourth-year transfer from Brock, celebrated her 23rd birthday.
"When I came here everyone was saying '3-19 last season,'" said Forbes. "I said I just want to play some basketball.
"There maybe are teams who work as hard as us, but none that work harder than us."
The Gee-Gees started the game on a 13-5 run after a three-point basket from third-year guard Melina Wishart (Ottawa, Ont.), and led 17-9 after one quarter.
Ottawa stretched its advantage to 26-12 early in the second quarter after OUA All-Star second-year guard Emilie Morasse (Quebec City, Que.), second-year post Courtney Berquist (Ottawa, Ont.) and Weir each hit three-point baskets.
Ottawa settled for a 28-21 lead at the half.
The first-place Varsity Blues outscored the Gee-Gees 16-12 in the third quarter, leaving Ottawa with a five-point cushion, 42-37.
Morasse, sporting a fat lip after the game, and company held OUA East Player of the Year Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) to five points in 22 minutes.
"It's all about trust," said Morasse. "It's easy to play defence like that."
The Gee-Gees earned one OUA title, in 2003-04.
The CIS tournament is March 6 to 8 at the University of Regina.
The Gee-Gees qualified for back-to-back national tournaments in 2003-04 and 2004-05, going 3-3 over six games. Ottawa has not won a women's basketball national championship.
Source: Gee-Gees Athletics
With the victory, the Lancers now qualify for the CIS national championship tournament in Regina, Sask. for the first time ever in school history. CIS nationals are set for March 6 to 8 in Regina.
Windsor turned in a dominating performance in front of a capacity crowd at the St. Denis Centre as they now advance to host the OUA Women's Basketball Championship on Saturday.
On Wednesday night, the Lancers came out on fire as they thrilled the crowd with an offensive performance that showed why they are ranked No. 2 in Canada.
Wulff was lighting it up from all over the court as she knocked down a number of long-range jumpers to give her team an early 10-point lead.
Windsor controlled the play at both ends of the court as they led 20-8 after one quarter of play.
In the second quarter, the Mustangs picked up their intensity as they tried to battle back against the streaking Lancers.
However, Roc also began to catch fire as she hit a number of big shots to help her squad maintain their double-digit lead. Windsor took a 38-26 lead into the break.
The second half was all Windsor as Roc and Wulff lit up the floor with a barrage of three-point baskets that brought the crowd to their feet. In all, Wulff hit on 5-of-6 from long range while Roc hit on 3-of-6 from three-point land as the Lancers built a 25-point lead in the second half.
The Mustangs tried to mount a charge early in the fourth quarter but it was too little too late as the Lancers cruised to the 81-62 victory and the OUA West Championship.
For Windsor, Roc finished with 23 points and was named the OUA Wilson Sports Equipment Player of the Game. Wulff finished with 21 points and seven rebounds and was equally as dominant in the victory.
The Lancer Women will now host the OUA Women's Basketball Championship on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the St. Denis Centre against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The game is part of what is being billed as the MEGA BOWL doubleheader and will follow the men's basketball OUA West semi-final game between Windsor and the McMaster Marauders which is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday.
There will be a single ticket price for both games on Saturday as part of the Mega Bowl Promotion. Mega Bowl tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $5 for children who are 12 and under.
Source: Lancers Athletics
Photo Credit: Craig Glover
OTTAWA 68, TORONTO 55
TORONTO, Ont. - Third-year guard Kelly Weir (Ottawa, Ont.) and fourth-year guard Allison Forbes (Riverview, N.B.) each scored 14 points Wednesday as Ottawa Gee-Gees women's basketball team went from nearly worst to first, leading from wire-to-wire in winning the OUA East Division championship with a 68-55 road victory over Toronto.
Ottawa will advance to Saturday's OUA final at (Windsor), champions of the OUA West
"We've had some history against U of T, which makes it that much sweeter," said Weir, who hit three-of-four three-point baskets as the Gee-Gees avenged an 0-2 regular season against the first-place Varsity Blues to end their season.
The Gee-Gees also won a fifth-straight game and qualified for a third-ever berth to the CIS tournament regardless of Saturday's result.
"I think we gave them a little bit of trouble with our changing defences," said OUA East Division Coach of the Year Andy Sparks, who engineered a dramatic turn-around as first-year coach, inheriting a 3-19 team and leading it to a division championship in just seven months on the job.
"They have over-done it."
Forbes, a fourth-year transfer from Brock, celebrated her 23rd birthday.
"When I came here everyone was saying '3-19 last season,'" said Forbes. "I said I just want to play some basketball.
"There maybe are teams who work as hard as us, but none that work harder than us."
The Gee-Gees started the game on a 13-5 run after a three-point basket from third-year guard Melina Wishart (Ottawa, Ont.), and led 17-9 after one quarter.
Ottawa stretched its advantage to 26-12 early in the second quarter after OUA All-Star second-year guard Emilie Morasse (Quebec City, Que.), second-year post Courtney Berquist (Ottawa, Ont.) and Weir each hit three-point baskets.
Ottawa settled for a 28-21 lead at the half.
The first-place Varsity Blues outscored the Gee-Gees 16-12 in the third quarter, leaving Ottawa with a five-point cushion, 42-37.
Morasse, sporting a fat lip after the game, and company held OUA East Player of the Year Alaine Hutton (Hamilton, Ont.) to five points in 22 minutes.
"It's all about trust," said Morasse. "It's easy to play defence like that."
The Gee-Gees earned one OUA title, in 2003-04.
The CIS tournament is March 6 to 8 at the University of Regina.
The Gee-Gees qualified for back-to-back national tournaments in 2003-04 and 2004-05, going 3-3 over six games. Ottawa has not won a women's basketball national championship.
Source: Gee-Gees Athletics
