Gee-Gees half court press limits Blues to less than 40 points
The mighty Gee-Gees women’s basketball squad faced off against a struggling Toronto Varsity Blues squad on Friday in what was sure to be a one-sided game. The Gees, who are second in the west behind only behind their rivals Carleton had the chance to equalize their season wins at nine.
The Varsity Blues were last in the central division with a record of 1-9. The Gees looked to continue their three game winning streak, and would be undefeated if it weren’t for a two point loss to the Brock Badgers. The Gees would take the game 67-39 after a spectacular second half performance.
Allie McCarthy started the scoring for the Gees with a swish corner three. The Gees were dominating the offensive boards, getting many second chance opportunities. The Blues’ Lia Barbieri responded with a fadeaway three. But Natsuki Szczokin would respond with a tough and-one layup.
The Blues’ Kaylee Williams would get a block, and a transition layup, followed up by another steal and yet another transition layup. The last bucket of the quarter would come from Szczokin, finishing the first quarter the Gees trailed 18-16.
Emily Payne would make a brutal block on the Blues, setting the momentum into the second quarter. The Gees held the Blues scoreless five minutes into the quarter. Payne would get another block nearing the end of the quarter — a very defensive quarter from both teams, forcing a lot of turnovers.
The Blues would take the lead with two made field goals in the final two minutes. McCarthy would take the lead back with a layup. Szczokin would finish the half off strong with a steal, a layup, and a conversion on the and-one foul. The Gees would finish the half with a four point lead 28-24.
Payne would start the scoring for the Gees in the second half. Opting to play a half court press against the Blues guard. The Gees really turned on the jets in the second half. In the sixth minute of the quarter, Bailey Russell absolutely rejected a Blues layup out of bounds.
The Gees would get a lot of their points going down the lane earning foul shots. The Gees were absolutely hounding the Blues with their halfcourt press, with Payne getting a buzzer beating layup to finish off the quarter, putting the Gees up 10.
The Gees dominated starting the fourth quarter. In the first three minutes they were up 54-37. Forcing turnover after turnover, the Blues could not handle the Gees press.
Szczokin would run the floor for the Gees, finding Victoria Brideau for a layup in the slot and a few possessions later, Payne for another open layup.
With less than five minutes remaining the Gees were up by more than 20. To ice the game Russell drained a three, dusting off the Blues in a crazy second half run, with a final score of 67-39.
The Gee-Gees moved to 9-1 and extended their winning streak to four games. Payne had herself a game, scoring 15 points with eight rebounds, and three blocks.
Victoria Brideau and Allie McCarthy both went off for 13 points, and Szczokin led the team in assists with five. Russell had a great performance off the bench with eight points, shooting 50 per cent from three.
The squad would take down TMU 65-63 on Saturday as they extended their winning streak to five, and prepare to play their undefeated rivals, the Carleton Ravens on Wednesday.
