HUSKIES ON TO THE FINAL
U of S guard Sabine Dukate contemplates her next move as Alberta guard Shay Crisp defends during Canada West Final Four action at the PAC on Friday. Dukate scored a team-high 25 points to pace the Huskies to a 72-62 win.
The reigning champs still have a grip on that Bronze Baby, and they’re not about to let go so easily.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies will get a chance to defend their national women’s basketball title next week following a 72-62 Canada West semifinal victory over the visiting University of Alberta Pandas in Final Four action Friday night at the PAC.
Canada West first-team all-star guard Sabine Dukate was once again a catalyst on offence Friday with 25 points to go along with two rebounds, three steals and one assist.
Saskatchewan poured it on in the second half, outscoring Alberta 46-33 after trailing 16-10 following the opening period and 29-26 at halftime.
“When we played our game, with speed and lots of talking on defence, it changed the whole game (in the second half) and showed what the Huskies can do,” said Dukate, a native of Latvia who is playing her second season with the Huskies after playing professionally in Europe.
Saskatchewan will play in the Canada West championship final Saturday night at the PAC against the winner of Friday’s late game between the Regina Cougars and Winnipeg Wesmen.
The final starts at 7 p.m. on the Ron and Jane Graham Court.
“It’s more about skill and hard work and less about preparing for the other team,” Dukate said.
Megan Ahlstrom chipped in with 13 points. Rookie post player Summer Masikewich added 10 points. Rookie guard Libby Epoch had eight points and five rebounds. Megan Lindquist also had eight points. Vera Crooks cleaned the glass with six boards.
“We knew, at halftime, that we weren’t playing even close to our best,” Ahlstrom said.
CANADA WEST HOCKEY FINAL
It’s an all-out war at Rutherford Rink.
Don’t tell the Canada West finalist University of Saskatchewan Huskies and University of Alberta Golden Bears — both already guaranteed berths in the upcoming University Cup national championship tournament in Fredericton, N.B. — that their best-of-three series doesn’t mean anything.
With a Canada West banner on the line, the Golden Bears have drawn first blood thanks to a 4-3 victory in Game 1 on Friday night before a packed house at Rutherford Rink.
Game 2 goes Saturday night, at 7 p.m., at the Dog House.
Taylor Cooper, with two, Cole Linaker and former Saskatoon Blades defenceman Graeme Craig scored for Alberta.
Connor Gay tallied a pair of goals for Saskatchewan, which never led in the game. The Huskies were under siege for most of the first period and, at one point, the Bears enjoyed a 13-3 edge in shots on net as the Huskies had quality chances early, including an open cage during a two-on-one, but missed the mark.
Saskatchewan, which outshot Alberta 34-32 in the game, was 0-for-5 on the power play. The Golden Bears went 0-for-2.
Jordon Cooke made 28 saves for the Dogs. Brendan Burke turned aside 31 shots for the Bears.
A third game, if necessary, would be played at Rutherford Rink on Sunday night, at 7 p.m.
FINAL FOUR MEN’S BASKETBALL
In Calgary, a slow start to the third quarter did in the U of S Huskies as they had their U Sports Final 8 hopes take a big setback with an 83-70 Canada West semifinal loss to the Alberta Golden Bears.
Saskatchewan can now only hope to win the bronze-medal game Saturday and pray for what is an unlikely wild-card berth.
American import Lawrence Moore had 19 points for the Huskies, scoring most of them in the final minutes, to go with three rebounds and one assist.
Graduating senior player Matt Forbes chipped in with 11 points and six rebounds for Saskatchewan, which trailed by one, 19-18, after the opening quarter and by five, 40-35, at halftime.
Jaylan Morgan added 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. Shane Osayande, a Canada West first-team all-star, was held to 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists as he took his fourth personal foul with 2:31 left in the third quarter before eventually fouling out in the fourth period.
Alex Unruh also scored 10 points for the Huskies, who lacked finish from outside the arc — shooting 25 per cent in the three-point category — and inside the paint as well. Saskatchewan shot only 35 per cent overall.
Trevor Severinski rounded out the team’s top scorers with six points and six rebounds.