By Bobby Mihalik
Humber Athletics Sports Information
ETOBICOKE, Ont. – Day Two of the 2018 OCAA women’s basketball championship at Humber College Athletic Centre in Etobicoke, got underway Saturday afternoon with a consolation round matchup between the St. Clair Saints (12-8, 5th West) and the Seneca Sting (13-4, 2nd East). Controlling the pace of the game from start to finish, the Saints defeated the Sting 69-56 and advanced to the consolation final.
The teams were evenly matched to start the first quarter, with both the Saints and the Sting scoring eight points in the first five minutes. After the Sting briefly took the lead, twelve straight points from the Saints closed out the quarter and put St. Clair on top 20-10 going into the second.
The Saints offence did not let up in the second, striking first and outscoring the Sting 13-6 in the first five minutes to widen their lead. The Sting, fighting to stay in the game, improved on their first quarter performance, scoring 15 in the second. Despite this, the Sting would end the half down 40-25.
After both teams went scoreless for nearly two and a half minutes to start the third, the offence got back on track. The Sting kept pace with the Saints through most of the third, eventually chipping away at their deficit. Though only scoring ten points in the quarter, the Saints held a 12-point cushion heading into the fourth leading 50-38.
Both teams struck fast in the fourth, but the Saints hit harder, eager to put the game out of the Sting’s reach. Outscoring the Sting 17-4 in the opening five minutes of the fourth, the Saints took the game in hand and cruised the rest of the way, taking the match 69-56 and advancing to the consolation final.
The Saints finished with a 35.6 (26-of-73) field goal percentage and shot 23.3 percent (7-of-30) of their three-point attempts. The Sting shot 32.4 percent (23-of-71) from the field but could not convert any of their three-point attempts (0-of-14).
Shannon Kennedy led the Saints in scoring with 25 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double and was named St. Clair’s Player of the Game. Jan Kucera finished with 15 points, and Anna Ulicny led her team in steals, with six.
Taylor Allicock, who was named Seneca’s Player of the Game, had 14 points to lead the Sting. Shenice Stubbs had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Danielle Belcher had ten points.
Up next for the Saints is a consolation final matchup with the winner of Game #6 (George Brown and Durham). Tip-off time is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Sunday.
