Quebec showdown in Victoria
The Bronze Baby, emblematic of Canadian women’s university basketball supremacy, has resided at the University of Victoria on nine occasions. It is headed to Laval or McGill for the first time.
The Laval Rouge et Or will meet the McGill Martlets in the 2017 U Sports national championship game today at 1 p.m. at CARSA Gym. Having two Quebec teams meeting in the country's westernmost city isn’t exactly a marketing dream, but it feels sublimely Canadian in its own way.
The game will also be shown on Sportsnet 360.
“The all-Quebec final speaks to the strength of our conference,” McGill coach Ryan Thorne said.
Alex Kiss-Rusk, who led McGill with 24 points and 13 rebounds, concurred: “It speaks for itself. People will see [today] how tough we play each other.”
McGill beat the top-ranked Carleton Ravens 66-60 while Laval defeated the Queen’s Gaels 78-67 on Saturday in the national semifinals on Ken and Kathy Shields Court.
The Carleton women lost for the first time in 21 games and were unable to join their male counterparts in a national final today. The dynastic Ravens men, who have won 12 national championships over the past 14 years, will attempt to match the UVic Vikes’ record of seven consecutive national titles from the 1980s, when they meet Ryerson in the U Sports final in Halifax.
Neither of the four women’s semifinalists have previously won the Bronze Baby. The drought will continue for the Gaels and Ravens, who meet in the bronzemedal game today at 10 a.m.
Big help, however, is on the way for Queen’s with their prize Island recruit Sophie De Goede out of Oak Bay High School, a double threat who is also on the national team rugby radar for the Olympics and World Cup in sevens and XVs.
“That was part of our agreement from the outset. We want her to have both opportunities [hoops and rugby],” Queen’s coach Dave Wilson coach.
“We are so excited to have Sophie join our program. She is such a great rebounder and so composed and incredibly competitive. I told her she will be wearing No. 15 [the jersey worn by graduating leading Gaels rebounder Robyn Pearson].”
Pearson and the much taller Gaels could not handle the quicker and shiftier Laval team Saturday.
“We’re small but tough, and we battle for each ball, and we’ve shot well all year,” Laval coach Guillaume Giroux said.“These players did not have a lot of success early in their U Sports careers, so I’m happy for my players to be in the national final.”
Defending champion Saskatchewan, coached by Lisa Thomaidis, who guided Canada to the quarter-finals of the Rio Olympics last summer, lost 79-76 to Regina in the all-Canada West fifth-place game Saturday.
The host UVic Vikes lost both their national tournament fixtures in what were the final games for Vikes seniors Jenna Bugiardini, Nicole Karstein and Jenna Krug.
“They have done so much for our program,” Vikes coach Dani Sinclair said. “When the dust settles, they will take pride in that.”
The Vikes’ future now belongs to the likes of returning Paige Thomson, who came into her own in the national tournament, after having two heart surgeries over the past 12 months.