TORONTO - In a tournament which draws some of the top teams in
the country, it was only fitting that two of the country's best
squared off in the Sting Classic championship. The championship
game saw the No. 7-ranked Algonquin Thunder knock off the
sixth-ranked Vanier Cheetahs in a closely contested battle from
start to finish, 63-58. Jesa Rada (Algonquin) and
Emily Prevost (Vanier) were named players of the game in the
championship for their respective teams.
Earlier in the day, the Humber Hawks defeated the Fanshawe Falcons
65-46 to claim the consolation final. Aleena
Domingo led the Hawks with 18 points.
Tournament MVP - Abeer Farhat, Algonquin
Tournament All-Star - Maria Suriani, Humber
Tournament All-Star - Frederique Potvin,
Vanier
Tournament All-Star - Zineb Selham, Vanier
Tournament All-Star - Abeer Farhat, Algonquin
Tournament All-Star - Sandre Bascoe,
Algonquin
Day 2
Game 1 - Fanshawe Falcons 61, Sheridan Bruins
44
In the opening game on Day 2 of the Sting Classic, Sheridan hung
with Fanshawe for the first quarter before the Falcons balanced
attack took control of the game. Eight Falcons made a field goal in
the first half to lead 35-23. In the second half, the Falcons had
seven players score, while Haevan Durrant tried
her best to keep the Bruins close. In the end, Durrant's 17 points
weren't enough as the Bruins fell 61-44. Felicia
Mazerolle (14) and Natasha Amo (13) paced
Fanshawe while Durrant was the only Bruin in double figures.
Fanshawe's Janine DeLeon (7 PTS) and Sheridan's
Dainique Campbell (7 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST) were named
players of the game.
Game 2 - Humber Hawks 57, Seneca Sting 47
With only seven players dressed, the host Seneca Sting were unable
to keep pace with Humber in the second consolation semifinal. The
Hawks took a 33-27 lead into the half thanks to eight points by
Chioma Oriuwa. Seneca played a strong third
quarter to tie the game at 43 going into the final quarter. Depth
became an issue and the fresh Hawks were able to hold Seneca to
just four points for a 10-point win. Oriuwa scored 12 points while
adding seven rebounds and three steals in being named player of the
game for Humber. Paige Smith and Ashley
Nurse each scored 10 points for Seneca. Nurse, Seneca's
player of the game, also contributed seven rebounds and four
steals.
Game 3 - Algonquin Thunder 65, George Brown Huskies
46
The Algonquin Thunder came out with a fast-paced attack which
created a number of match-up problems for George Brown in the Sting
Classic semifinal. The Thunder exploded for 24 points in the
opening quarter for a quick 11-point lead. Rada and Stacey
Poapst each scored eight in the quarter for the Thunder.
The Huskies were able to slow down Algonquin in the second, but
couldn't find secondary scoring. Shan Wilson paced
the Huskies with 12 points at the half. The Thunder defensive
game stymied the Huskies in the second half, holding them to just
21 points over the final two quarters for a 19-point win. Poapst
finished the game with 16 points for the Thunder while Rada added
14. Wilson led the Huskies with 17 points. Sandre
Bascoe (11 PTS, 9 REB, 1 STL) was the Thunder's player of
the game. Melissa Vilar (8 PTS, 1 BLK, 2 STL) was
named player of the game for George Brown.
Game 4 - Vanier Cheetahs 50, Algoma Thunderbirds
45
The Vanier Cheetahs entered the Sting Classic as the No. 6 team in
the country. Some early jitters in the Sting Classic semifinal saw
them trail by seven at the end of the first quarter, but they
quickly settled down in the second. The Cheetahs held Algoma to
just six points in the second quarter to take a 30-26 lead into the
half. A low-scoring second half saw Vanier outscore the
Thunderbirds 20-19 for a five-point win. Prevost and Frederique
Potvin each had 12 points for Vanier with Zineb Selham (5 PTS, 6
REB) being named the player of the game for the Cheetahs. The
Thunderbirds were led by Corina Bruni's 13 points
and seven rebounds. Amanda Orr (6 PTS, 2 REB) was
named the Thunderbirds player of the game.
Game 5 - Humber Hawks 65, Fanshawe Falcons 46
Fanshawe controlled the action in the first and fourth quarters,
but the play of the Humber Hawks in the middle two quarters is what
decided the consolation final at the 34th annual Sting
Classic. The Falcons jumped out to a four-point lead at the
end of one quarter, but scored a meager 14 points of the next two
quarters. On the other side, Humber caught fire offensively,
scoring 41 points during that time to take a 23 point lead into the
final quarter. Fanshawe outscored the Hawks 13-9 in the fourth, but
still fell by 19. Humber was led by player of the game Domingo (18
PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST) who had a game-high 18 points. Fanshawe player
of the game went to Maddy Edwards (12 PTS).
Game 6 - Algonquin Thunder 63, Vanier Cheetahs
58
Anytime two of the Top 10 teams in Canada meet up, the fans will
be treated to excellent basketball. Saturday night was no different
as the Algonquin Thunder (seventh ranked) claimed the 34th annual
Sting Classic over the sixth-ranked Vanier Cheetahs 63-58. Vanier
looked poised for the championship early as their full-court press
caused a number of issues for the Thunder. At the end of the
first, Algonquin regrouped and quickly erased the Cheetahs
four-point advantage. At the half, Algonquin led 32-30 after
Vanier's Caren-Carissa Tapia hit a near midcourt, buzzer-beater
three-pointer as time expired. In the third, Algonquin's Rada and
Bascoe took control, giving the Thunder an 11-point lead midway
through the quarter. Vanier responded in the fourth quarter,
closing the lead to three points early, but could not get any
closer than five points in the final five minutes. Bascoe had 18
points for the Thunder along with teammate and tournament MVP
Abeer Farhat's 16 points. Prevost had 15 points
for the Cheetahs. Algonquin's Rada (12 PTS, 3 REB, 3 STL) and
Vanier's Prevost (15 PTS, 5 REB, 3 BLK, 2 STL) were named players
of the game.
Day 1
On Day 1 of the 34th annual women's basketball Sting Classic,
the intensity was high, the games were competitive and the
student-athletes representing their schools were able to get back
in action after a lengthy holiday break.
Four games were played on Day 1 with eight teams competing for the
tournament championship.
Game 1 - George Brown Huskies 66,
Sheridan Bruins 58
Sheridan came flying out of the game early as they led by as many
as 11 over George Brown. Trailing by seven at the half, the
Huskies outscored the Bruins 27-12 in the third quarter. The
explosive quarter was aided by 12 points from Wilson, who shot
6-of-6 from the free throw line in the quarter. Wilson led the
Huskies with 18 points while Sheridan's Shylanda
Saunders scored a game-high 21 points. Wilson (18 PTS, 5
REB) was named George Brown's player of the game while
Paige Holdsworth (6 PTS) took the nod for
Sheridan.
Game 2 - Algonquin Thunder 59, Fanshawe Falcons
52
The defending OCAA champions struggled early as they trailed
Fanshawe by one at the end of the first. Algonquin was led by
Poapst who scored nine of the Thunder's 11 points in the opening
quarter. Algonquin found their range in the second quarter as they
outscored the Falcons 23-9. The Falcons looked to pull off an upset
as they entered the fourth trailing 50-35. In the final quarter,
Fanshawe closed the lead to seven, but were unable to overcome the
enormous deficit. Farhat (16 PTS, 5 REB, 3 STL) was Algonquin's
player of the game while Mazerolle (10 PTS, 3 AST, 7 STL) was the
top player for Fanshawe.
Game 3 - Vanier Cheetahs 54, Humber Hawks 43
The country's sixth-ranked team battled the Humber Hawks in a
defensive battle. The Cheetahs held the Hawks to single digit
points in the first two quarters to take a 20-18 lead into the
half. Vanier's depth began to show in the second half as they
outscored Humber 34-25 in the half for an 11-point victory. Potvin
had a game-high 19 points for Vanier along with nine apiece from
Prevost and Selham. Brenda Carachure led the Hawks
with nine points with Maria Suriani and
Mary Asare each chipping in eight. Players of the
game were Catharine Desbien (4 PTS, 6 REB, 5 STL) for Vanier and
Carachure (9 PTS, 4 REB) for the Hawks.
Game 4 - Algoma Thunderbirds 62, Seneca Sting
39
The host Sting jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, showing signs of a
potential upset, but Algoma would have none of it. The Thunderbirds
scored nine consecutive points en route to taking a 33-16 lead into
the half. Seneca was unable to stop Bruni, who had 18 points in the
half. Algoma outscored the Sting 20-8 in the third to take a
25-point lead into the final quarter. Bruni led Algoma with 24
points while Laura Cooper chipped in 10. Smith was
the long Sting in double figures with 12 points. Bruni (24 PTS, 3
REB, 3 AST, 5 STL) and Smith (12 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST) were named
players of the game for their respective teams.
Source: Seneca College