2019-20 USports Women's Championship - Full Recap
For the top teams at college level in Canada, this is what it all came down to: the game that would decide who would be the season's USports champions.
On the last day of the tournament, held at TD Place in Ottawa, the two teams who came up short in the semi finals the day before would face off for third place, after which it would be the game to decide which team would be taking home the title.
Third Place Game: Laval Rouge et Or vs UPEI Panthers
A three-pointer from Reese Baxendale would be all that separated the teams in a close first period of play. UPEI led by six in the first quarter, but saw that lead disappear as Laval went in front after an unbroken eight-point run. Laval led by six points at half-time thanks to the work from Leslie Makosso and Kim Letang, the latter off the bench.
After Laval went eighteen points clear in the third quarter, Baxendale combined with Jenna Mae Elsworth to close the gap and give the lead back to the Panthers in the last two minutes of the game. Laval were unable to get another shot off and were resigned to the loss.
Letang was the top scorer for Laval with 16 points, while UPEI saw 17 from Baxendale and Elsworth a rebound shy of a double-double, leading all scorers with 24 points in the 57-50 UPEI victory which earned them third place in the 2019-20 USports comeptition.
Championship Game: Brock Badgers vs Saskatchewan Huskies
Sharing the ball well as the game opened, the Huskies were able to put distance between themselves and the Badgers early on.
Jenneke Pilling and Samantha Keltos tried to shorten that distance, but Saskatchewan kept themselves in front thanks to three-point shooting. In particular that of Sabine Dukate, a three from whom gave the Huskies a double-digit lead at half time. They also saw good production from Carly Ahlstrom and Katarina Philipenko in the first half.
Saskatchewan kept Brock on defensive lockdown at the start of the second half and their continued on offence saw them go twenty points in front in the fourth quarter. Keltos and Melissa Tatti still did what they could to keep the Badgers in contention, but with the rest of the team not contributing as much, Saskatchewan’s lead would be unassailable.
A team-high 21 points was small consolation for Keltos, whose Badger team did not perform when it mattered most. Saskatchewan, led by 24 points from Dukate and 20 from Summer Masikewich, sealed the final victory by 82-64 and with that the title of 2019-20 USports champions.
Picture: Justin Tang/Canadian Press
