CIS: No. 3 Gee-Gees edge host Dinos, claim bronze
CALGARY (CIS) – The third-seeded University of Ottawa Gee-Gees used their size to rebound their way to a 79-73 win over the hometown No. 8 University of Calgary Dinos in the bronze medal game at the CIS women’s basketball championship at the Jack Simpson Gym on Monday.
Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb/index
The Gee-Gees were making their third appearance at the Final 8 in four years. With their best performance at the tournament already made, Ottawa captured its first-ever medal. One of the best games of the tournament saw the Gee-Gees get past Saskatchewan in overtime in the quarter finals. The next night Ottawa was up against a very tough UBC team and lost 59-51.
“It’s been a great tournament for us,” said Ottawa head coach Andy Sparks after the win. “It was so well run and we had tough games every time with excellent west teams.”
Calgary pulled off a miraculous upset in the first day of the tournament as they defeated the top-seeded Cougars. Sunday night in front of another packed crowd at the Jack, the Dinos played a wire-to-wire game, but fell 81-71 to the defending CIS champion Windsor Lancers. Calgary was looking for a ninth medal at the national tournament.
“I don’t know what else we could have done,” stated 18 year head coach Shawnee Harle, “I felt we emptied the tank, we played every defence we had, we ran everything in our playbook and all of our quick hits, it was a two-possession game late, and that’s all that I can ask.”
Both clubs had success early as the game took the form of a track meet with the teams trading baskets. The Gee-Gees’ Jenna Gilbert of Ottawa was able to put up an early eight points, including two treys, and went on to finish with 19 points.
Ottawa opened a gap on the scoreboard with a run in the second quarter. The Gee-Gees’ lead grew to as big as 13 before the Dinos fought back to make it a five-point game with the score 43-38 at halftime. The visiting team was able to sustain the lead by dominating in the rebound department at 21-11 through 20 minutes.
The OUA champions started the third quarter on a 6-0 run which put them up by twelve in the first five minutes of the half. Characteristically of them in this tournament, the Dinos continued to shoot well, but got beaten to the ball on numerous occasions. Calgary trailed Ottawa 56-48 going into the final quarter.
As they did for most of the game, the Gee-Gees looked like they were about to pull away. The resilient Dinos worked their way back though, creating a thrilling final few minutes. Calgary managed to bring the score within four, but Ottawa was able to put in their free throws to clinch bronze.
The Gee-Gees out-rebounded the home team 51-30 and had a 43.3 field goal percentage, compared to Calgary’s 38.3.
The player of the game for the Dinos was Jessica Franz of Surrey, B.C., who had 19 points along with six rebounds. Kellie Ring, the OUA rookie of the year from Ottawa picked up the honours for the Gee-Gees with a tournament-high 13 assists.
STAT LEADERS
Boxscore: Ottawa-Calgary
Scoring by quarter:
OTT 23-20-13-23: 79
CGY 22-16-10-25: 73
Ottawa
Points: Jenna Gilbert (19), Hannah Sunley-Paisley (16), Bess Lennox (11)
Rebounds: Hannah Sunley-Paisley (13), Bess Lennox (10)
Assists: Kellie Ring (13)
Player of the game: Kellie Ring
Calgary
Points: Jessica Franz (19), Jenna Kaye (17), Tamara Jarrett (12), Megan Lang (12)
Rebounds: Jenna Kaye (10), Jessica Franz (6)
Assists: Jenna Kaye (4)
Player of the game: Jessica Franz
Source: CIS
