CCAA Bronze Quarter-Final: Lakeland Rustlers 68, Humber College Hawks 55
The second match of the second day of tournament play saw the Lakeland Rustlers and the Humber College Hawks going at it for 40 minutes.
The first half saw Lakeland's Rustlers hold their foot on the gas, making the most of the opportunities presented to them and dazzling their cheering section with highlight reel plays. Rustlers guard Hailey Somers and forward Bilge Topaloglu formed a great duo for Lakeland, each hitting clutch shots and executing the plays to perfection. Somers shot 6-of-7 from the field to finish the quarter with 13 points, while Topaloglu went 7-of-8 with 14. Guard Bethany Montebon was also a standout for the Rustlers, going coast to coast in one of the most impressive baskets of the tournament so far.
Even though the Rustlers maintained their dominance in the second half, the Hawks made sure they had to earn the win. Humber guard Nikki Ylagan drained some shots from deep to close the Lakeland lead, while All-Canadian Miea Campbell-Johnson made her presence known on every play, notching 12 rebounds.
The Player of the Game representing the Lakeland Rustlers was Hailey Somers, who put up one of the most efficient and impactful performances of the tournament so far, shooting 7-of-8 with 15 points. Sharpshooter Ylagan's second half burst of offence got her the nod, as she made seven 3-point shots to lead her team with 21 points. Not to be overlooked was Rustlers forward Bilge Topaloglu, who built off her aforementioned excellent first half to lead both teams in scoring, with 24 points
The Lakeland Rustlers will move into the bronze semi-final bracket, as they hope to compete in the bronze medal game.
CCAA Quarter-Final: Dawson Blues 81, Humber Hawks 70
The final game of the opening day of the tournament pitted Humber College's Hawks against the Dawson Blues. The event's opening day featured plenty of excellent basketball, and the final game was no exception to this. The match was filled with energy, as the two teams exchanged baskets and great defensive stops back and forth throughout.
Similar to the earlier games, the Hawks and Blues game was close for most of its run. The fourth quarter proved to be when the game was decided, as the Blues went on some clutch runs to put them ahead. Dawson's squad drained multiple threes and limited the incredibly talented Hawks players' scoring chances.
Representing the Dawson Blues as their Player of the Game was Jayla Owen. Owen was able to tally 19 points, shooting over 50 per cent from the field. The Hawks' Player of the Game was Kia Watt, who led both teams with 26 points, to go alongside six rebounds.
The Blues will be taking on the host Mariners next, as both attempt to reach the gold medal game. Bronze is still in play for the Hawks, who will look to rebound and win their next matchup against Lakeland.
Source: VIU Mariners/CCAA Communications