Olds Broncos Ride High to CCAA Women's Basketball Gold
by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips
Olds College Broncos rode high at the 2018-2019 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Basketball Championships claiming GOLD Saturday by beating the host team Cégep de Sainte-Foy Dynamiques 74-69.
The Broncos had a hard time finding ACAC and CCAA Player of the Year Brittney Thibeaux in the first half as the Dynamiques zone defence would collapse two or even three players on her just outside the paint where she had set up.
At other times the Dynamiques would simply front her and take away the telegraphed passes.
A big basket, although not applauded much or perhaps recognized, was a basket by Macyn Morning Bull with a kiss-off-the-glass jumper for a 33-27 lead.
On one Thibeaux late first half basket the internet play-by-play announcer commented: "Even with two players on her she scores. Nothing can stop her."
More on that later.
Olds Kyla Adams, despite saddled with four fouls, had a great third period with several hoops and all around play.
The Dynamiques quicksilver guard's up-tempo game keeps them close as Broncos hold on to a 55-51 edge after three periods.
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| Kyla Adams, Olds College Broncos |
Back-to-back baskets by Adams gives the Broncos a 59-51 lead but the St. Paul, Minnesota native fouls out with 8:16 left.
A three point basket by the Dynamiques makes it 67-62 for Olds with less than three minutes to go.
Game on.
Remember when the announcer said, "Nothing can stop her" in regards to Thibeaux?
Well the hardnosed player from Lake Villa, Illinois cramps up big time in her calve with 1:16 remaining her team leading 71-64.
The Dynamiques get a kind bounce and hit a three with 20 seconds remaining to make it 72-69 Olds.
A Kristina Bajovic missed free throw is rebounded by Thibeaux with 4.3 seconds remaining and she is fouls and makes one to make it 73-69 and the game out of reach.
Thibeaux ended with 30 points and 13 rebounds playing the entire 40 minutes. Bajovic who also never took a seconds rest had 17 points. Adams had 18 points and 9 rebounds.
Gabrielle Cloutier led the home side with 20 points.
Thibeaux was named CCAA Championship MVP and Adams and Bajovic first team all stars.
This is Olds second medal in CCAA Women's Basketball claiming a bronze in 2012-2013.
For Olds head coach Avery Harrison, who earlier this year achieved 501 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference victories on February 9, 2019 with a 80-65 road win against the Red Deer Queens, it his second win as a head coach for women's CCAA hoops; the first in 1998-1999 when the SAIT Trojans won.
"This is sweet, it never gets old and this was a special group this year," said Harrison. "It was hard to get the ball into (Thibeaux) at the start but the big thing we had to do the rest of the game was play defence, defence, defence. Defence is going to win the game for us and we have to stop them at the other end and we know our offence will get running.
"It takes a whole roster to win a championship."
Of Thibeaux, he said: "She is the best player I have ever coached and one of the toughest. Had I took her out (when she had cramps) she would have been so mad. But we all know how tough she is."
Broncos opened the tournament Thursday with a 61-37 win against the PACWEST VIU Mariners.
Michaela Allen-Gullion led the Broncos with 15 points and 7 assists. With four fouls, ACAC and CCAA Player of the Year Brittney Thibeaux rested most of the game, hitting the hardwood for only 11 minutes but still managed 8 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in the win.
In the semi-finals it was a closer affair as the Broncos edged Dawson College Blues 71-70.
Thibeaux had a team high 29 points. Kyla Adams chipped in with an impressive double-double 14 points and 17 rebounds.
Broncos led 19-15 after one period and 41-34 at the half. At the end of three it was 58-55 Olds.
Blued took the lead at 59-58.
A free throw by Kristina Bajovic tied the game while another free throw by the ??? native secure the win with 3.6 seconds remaining.
Blues Roxanne Makolo had 18 points.
Keyano Huskies concluded their first appearance at a CCAA Women's Basketball Championships Saturday afternoon by falling to the VIU Mariners (PACWEST) 71-61 in the bronze medal semi-final game.
The Huskies led 16-14 after the first period but the Mariners took charged in the second period outscoring the Huskies 23-8.
Huskies were led by Moiyan Toure with 20 points and 18 rebounds.
Sarah MacDonald chipped in with 15 points
Shayce Johnston sparked the Mariners with 28 points.
Huskies had proved the giant killer Thursday defeating the top ranked Fanshawe Falcons 69-66 at the 2018-2019 CCAA Women's Basketball Championships.
In yesterday's semi-final they lost to the Cégep de Sainte-Foy 62-55.
A 5-foot-10, 3rd year centre, Huskies' Moiyan Toure, lead the ACAC in rebounds per game (rpg) 13.5 while dropping in 14.8 points per game (ppg).
At the CCAA level in three game, she averaged 16 ppg and 13 rpg.
Fifth year 5-foot-8 forward Augusta Kievisaite was an ACAC 13.9 ppg 6.2 rpg while at the CCAA it was 10.3 ppg 4.6 rpg.
Third year 5-foot-7 guard Aliyah Johnson upped her game from an ACAC 8.7 ppg to a CCAA 13 ppg.
Guard Sarah MacDonald also played strong averaging CCAA 12.6 ppg compared to a ACAC 9.8 ppg.
Coached by Dwayne Vigilance, the Huskies were 16-8 during the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) regular season and averaged 61.2 points per game (ppg)
Toure was named CCAA Second Team All Star.
Dawson Blues captured bronze defeating VIU Mariners 74-64.