Recent Critelli Cup champions collide for another title clash in Toronto
Toronto, Ont. – Back on the banner season stage – a familiar setting for both Critelli Cup finalists – the TMU Bold and Carleton Ravens are revving up for another championship run and there is just one final head-to-head test standing in the way of them adding to their recent provincial success.
For the visiting Ravens, it is their fourth straight appearance in the OUA finale, a stretch that has seen them win two – and go on to claim national glory thereafter – and drop their most recent outing a season ago. Prior to that impressive run, meanwhile, it was the Bold who had their turn hoisting the coveted Critelli Cup, doing so on the heels of a 72-70 overtime win over Brock that was anchored by a game-high 23 points from now assistant coach Jama Bin-Edward.
For either side to taste victory again in 2026, they will need to rely first and foremost on their first team all-star.
For the host Bold, that accolade went to Myriam Kone, who joined the Bold via Edmonton, Alta. The dynamic guard was a scoring machine for TMU this season, breaking the program’s single-season record for most points with 448. Helping her achieve such lofty numbers was her consistency, racking up double-digit scoring in every regular season game, including back-to-back 28-point outings against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks and aforementioned Gaels en route to OUA athlete of the week honours.
The senior guard wasn’t the only record-breaker for the Bold this season, as running mate Hailey Franco DeRyck patrolled the paint in dominant fashion. The third-year forward from Etobicoke, Ont. added her name to the top of the program’s single-season rebound (283) and block (44) lists as part of her stat-stuffing campaign. She would go on to finish second in the conference on the glass with nearly 13 per contest, while also sitting at number two with 2.0 blocks per game.
Anchored by this dynamic duo, it comes as no surprise that the Bold were also highly ranked in several statistical categories among their conference competitors. They earned top five grades offensively with 74.9 points per game, as well as in field goal percentage, three-point shooting, and rebounds per game, but what’s more is they were equally as menacing on defence.
Collectively, the 20-win team surrendered just 56.4 points per game (2nd in OUA), while holding opponents to 34.6% shooting from the field and forcing a league-high 23.6 turnovers per contest on the heels of 13.3 steals and 4.8 blocks per game.
They’ll be facing an equally impressive defensive group in Carleton, who checked in right behind the Bold with just 57.1 points per game allowed (3rd in OUA). They were the stingiest when it came to opponents’ field goal percentage, holding teams to just 31% shooting on the year, while also pacing the conference on the glass with a league-best 45.7 rebounds per game and a 12.9 rebound margin.
Despite featuring a number of newcomers on their roster, it will be a pair of experienced seniors who will lead the Carleton charge on the banner season stage.
The red-hot Kyana-Jade Poulin has been an offensive powerhouse, finishing fourth in the OUA with 19.8 PPG en route to her first team all-star nod. Heading into the finale, she has registered double-digit points in 11 straight games, including a career-high 35 in the Ravens’ season-ending win over Nipissing. Poulin has been relied upon heavily for the black birds all season long, as the Montreal, Que. guard has played a career-high in minutes on the year.
Alongside Poulin is fellow two-time champion and third team all-star Jacqueline Urban. The psychology major from Ancaster, Ont. has been a force on the glass once again, stuffing the stat sheet with 10 double-doubles and 13 games with double-digit rebounds. The former rookie of the year also surpassed 1,000 career points and continues to be a lynchpin for the Ravens on both ends of the floor.
Despite their productive campaigns, both all-stars, along with the rest of the Ravens’ roster, were held in check in the team’s lone meeting with TMU during the regular season. The group as a whole shot just 25% from the field in their 66-43 defeat, while the victorious Bold were led by a game-high 23 points from third team OUA all-star Catrina Garvey.
If the Bold are to win a second straight against the visitors on the season, and earn their third OUA women’s basketball title in program history in the process, they’ll need to have their full skill set on display on their home court. Taking a page from their previous two playoff contests would be a good place to start, as they began with an 81-61 quarterfinal win over No. 7 Western. They then outdid themselves in their semifinal, claiming a 59-point win against No. 3 Windsor with each of Kone and Kait Nichols eclipsing the 20-point plateau therein.
It has been similarly smooth sailing for Carleton, owners of four Critelli Cup titles to date, throughout their quest for the Critelli Cup. In collecting back-to-back wins of their own, they first dispatched the Guelph Gryphons in the quarterfinals (82-62) before then handing the top-ranked Queen’s Gaels, who had dropped only one game all season long, a 61-54 semifinal loss in Kingston to extend their streak of Critelli Cup appearances.
Battle-tested and ready to bring their best to the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Saturday, the collision course has brought Carleton and TMU to the provincial finale. And with just four more head-to-head quarters between both finalists and another Critelli Cup title, one talent-laden OUA squad will soon cap off their conference campaign in golden fashion.
