Lancers get tough draw in OUA hoops playoffs
There will be no easy playoff road for the University of Windsor Lancers women’s basketball team.
The No. 7-ranked Lancers get a nationally ranked opponent in the OUA women’s basketball quarter-finals on Saturday in the defending conference champion and No. 10-ranked Ryerson Rams. Game time at the St. Denis Centre is 2 p.m.
“It’s two top 10 teams in the country and only one will move forward,” Lancers head coach Chantal Vallee said. “Both are very good teams and we’re happy to be at home, which was a goal for us. There’s not a better crowd than Windsor.”
It’s the second meeting this season between the two teams. The Lancers let a fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 59-53 loss to Ryerson in Toronto on Dec. 3.
“We led most of the game and there was a stretch where we didn’t respond to their aggressiveness,” Vallee said. “It’s playoff basketball. Neither (team) is not going to respond to runs and challenges.”
Vallee said the team has had a few games to adjust to the loss of outstanding freshman Kayah Clarke, who could miss all of next season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
“Of course it hurts,” Vallee said. “It shortens our bench and our team, but everyone has had to step up and we’ve had three or four league games to adjust.
“We can’t dwell on what we don’t have. We’re fortunate to move forward with what we have. All of our starters can score and those off the bench understand their roles.”
CLIPPERS WIN SWOSSAA
The Kennedy Clippers won the SWOSSAA senior boys’ AA basketball title on Friday with a 59-51 win over the Chatham John McGregor Panthers.
Glenn Willis Paris and Matt James each finished with 15 points for Kennedy while Ali Mansour chipped in with 11 points for the Clippers, who advance to OFSAA in Sault Ste. Marie from March 6-8.
CANADIENS REBOUND
The Lakeshore Canadiens got goalie Mitch Topliffe back in net for the first time since Jan. 13 and it sparked the team to a 9-1 win over the Blenheim Blades.
With the win, the top-seeded Canadiens now trail 2-1 in the bestof-seven Provincial Junior Hockey League semifinal series in the Bill Stobbs Division.
Topliffe finished the game with 30 saves while the Canadiens got single goals from Mejoe Gasparovic, Connor Rosaasen, Michael Long, Kyler Carter, Jake Nimmo, Ameen Fadel, James Brooks, Steven Sartor and J.J. Percy.
LANCER WOMEN OUSTED
The University of Windsor Lancers women’s hockey team saw its season come to an end on Friday.
The Lancers, who were the No. 8 seed in the OUA, fell 3-2 at home to the top-seeded Guelph Gryphons, who are ranked No. 2 in Canadian university hockey.
Erinn Noseworthy and Krystin Lawrence scored for the Lancers, who were even with Guelph at 2-2 after two periods.
Guelph scored with 46 seconds left in regulation and added an empty-net goal to close the scoring.