Lady Hawks hoopsters open playoffs against CBU Capers
For the first time in a half-decade, Sea-Hawks and Capers meet in the post-season
The Memorial Sea-Hawks women’s basketball team faces the Cape Breton University Capers this evening in an Atlantic University Sport playoff quarter-final in Halifax. Memorial (12-8) is fifth-ranked in the tourney, while Cape Breton (9-11) is the sixth seed. However, the Capers held the advantage in the four-game regular-season series, winning three times. The winner of the game meets either Dalhousie or Saint Mary’s in the semifinal round.
Playoff matchups between the Memorial Sea-Hawks and Cape Breton Capers women’s basketball teams have always been a treat for the players and coaches on both sides over the years.
Still, it’s been five years since the teams met in the post-season and that 2010 semifinal game resulted in a win for the Capers.
The playoff rivalry resumes today (6:30 p.m. NT) in an Atlantic University Sport (AUS) quarter-final showdown at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.
The regular-season games between the teams have been close in recent years.
Cape Breton took three of four meetings this season, although two of those three wins and the one MUN victory were decided by five points or less. The teams split four games the previous season.
“I enjoy competing against Fabian (McKenzie) and his teams over the years because they are well coached,” said Partridge about his Cape Breton counterpart.
“He (McKenzie) does a good job and I think he enjoys playing against our team because we are well prepared and it’s a real challenge. You’ve got to bring your chops.”
So what’s it going to take to beat the Capers when it counts the most?
“We have to do a good job on their inside game. The (Alison) Keough kid needs to be contained. We did a good job on her in Cape Breton, but we didn’t not contain her well enough in the two games in our home,” noted Partridge,
Keough led CBU with a 14 points-per-game average, good enough for fourth in AUS scoring. She also averaged 9.2 rebounds per game. Teammate Colleen Keane finished fifth at 12.4 ppg.
Megan Robinson was MUN’s top scorer with 12.1 ppg., good enough for eighth spot, while teammate Tianna Brown was 10th in scoring with 11.3 ppg., and 8.5 rpg.
“If we contain Keough and add to that better ball handling and rebounding, I think we’ll be OK,” said Partridge. “We have more depth in terms of our talent and how deep we can go and how many people we can play.”
Partridge feels the championship is up for grabs this weekend considering there was only four points separating the fourthplace Sea-Hawks and the firstplace Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Fifth-year Sea-Hawk Kelia Pond said it was important for the team to go into the playoffs on a winning streak.
The Sea-Hawks won their last four games of the regular season, beating Acadia Axewomen and UNB Varsity Reds twice each.
“We’re peaking at the exact right time,” said Pond. “It was a tough season, but we’ve come together at this point.
“We’re feeling a better connec- tion now than we have all season. We’re working as a team and every one is positive. We’re all doing the right things in the gym which you need to do to be a championship team.
“We respect Cape Breton, but we feel we can beat them,” she added.
As she finishes up her time at MUN, Pond said the championship is what you work for, but what she’ll remember most are “the practices and being in the gym with the girls. I’m just glad I’m taking it on with these girls.”
All games will be broadcast live on www.AUStv.ca.