2018 CCAA Women's Basketball Championship
by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips
The last games of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) women's basketball postseason was held Saturday March 3, 2018 in Calgary, Alberta with the St. Mary's University Lightning defeating the Medicine Hat College Rattlers 77-66 at the ACAC 2017-2018 Women's Basketball Championships gold medal game.
The last games for these two ACAC women's basketball team for the 2017-2018 season was held Saturday March 17, 2018 in Sackville, New Brunswick with the St, Mary's University Lightning defeating the Medicine Hat College Rattlers 77-55 at the 2017-2018 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women's Basketball Championships 7th/8th placement game.
St. Mary's Lightning had opened the CCAA Championships this past Thursday with a 76-58 loss to the Collège Montmorency Nomades (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec).
Lightning played a strong opening 10 minutes down 23-17 after one quarter.
Down 63-49 after three quarters, Lightning had some shooting woes in the fourth quarter hitting only 3-of-20 from the field.
They were also outrebounded 55-to-37 in the game.
Lightning's only lead was the opening basket of the game with the Nomades up as much as 23 points at 4:16 of the third period.
"We made some fundamental errors and had some bad turnovers and we did not capitalize on our opportunities," said Lightning coach Steve Shoults. "Plus we didn't get to the foul line as much as they did (Nomades 14-of-18, Lightning 7-of-8) and that took the wind out of our sails."
Lightning's star guard Montana Romeril had 16 points 12 rebounds while Emily Wagner added 14 points in this the first-ever CCAA women's basketball match for the Calgary-based school.
Romeril would be named a Second Team All Star at the conclusion of the tournament.
Juliette Gauthier had 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Nomades.
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CCAA Photo: Medicine Hat Rattlers Jordyn Kearley |
Led by ACAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year and CCAA All Canadian Kennedy Werre, the Medicine Hat Rattlers lost to the host Mount Allison Mounties 61-49 in their opener Thursday.
Rattlers led at the end of the first quarter 13-12 behind Courtney Henry's six points.
During the second quarter the Rattlers faced shooting woes hitting only 3-of-19 from the field, heading to the locker room at halftime down 25-20.
Both sides scored 15 points in the third but the fourth had the Mounties outscoring the Rattlers 21-14 for the win.
"It was definitely a tough game but the mental side of traveling took its toll even before we got on the court," said Rattlers' head coach Clayton Nielsen, in regards to various flight delays due to weather, with both the Rattlers and Lightning spending two days of travel, arriving late for the Wednesday night banquet. "We were just tired. We normally play tough defense and switch good but we just didn't have it.
"We had a bad five to eight minute span and at this the national level, when you have that, the game is basically over."
Against the host Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA), Werre had 11 points and 15 rebounds.
Coming up big for the Mounties was ACAA Women's Player of the Year and a two-time CCAA All Canadian, Kiersten Mangold with 20 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
Relegated to the bronze quarter final,s St. Mary's lost to ACAA Mount Saint Vincent University Mystics 83-66.
St. Mary's led by two after the opening 10 minutes 23-21 but a second quarter push by the Mystics 25-11 led to a 46-34 halftime lead.
"We played a great first five minutes (up 16-8) but they came back and hit a (Kelsey Crocker) three-point basket with four second remaining in the first quarter and from that point on it just snowballed," said Shoults. "The mistakes for us continued and at this level you can't make mistakes as the other teams take advantage of them."
Once again Romeril was tops for the ACAC school with 17 points while teammate Megan Trisevic added 14 points.
Mystics managed 12 steals in the game.
In their own bronze quarter final, Medicine Hat faced off against Pacific Western Athletic Association member Capilano Blues losing 76-64.
"We just couldn't put the ball in the hoop, the effort and will was there but we just didn't have the finish," said Nielsen.
Rattlers shot 28% from the field while the Blues shot an impressive 52%
Courtney Henry had 15 points for the Rattlers while Were, playing only 18 minutes, hauled in 12 rebounds.
In the placement match 7th/8th between the two ACAC representatives, Lightning's Emily Wagner exploded for 27 points in the win shooting an impressive 10-for-15 from the field and two-for-two from the charity stripe. She scored 18 of her points in the first half.
"The seniors wanted to finish with a win and we wanted to affirm that we are the top women's basketball team in the ACAC," said Shoults. "The first three days we were always climbing up a hill and never got on track. The girls never got settled."
Jordyn Kearley and Rachel Sherven each had 13 points for the Rattlers.
"At this point, we decided that we would get everyone into the game, so they could have some experience at nationals. That was the main focus of our game," said Nielsen, who would be awarded the CCAA Exemplary Leadership Award.
Bronze medal status went to Nomades with a 85-67 final against the Mystics while the Hawks beat the Dawson Blues 68-61 for their second ever CCAA gold in women's hoops, having last won in 2016.