“This is who we are, and we’ve been waiting to show it”
U SPORTS fans are almost certainly going to see Rose-Anne Joly’s Gee-Gees in the national rankings when they drop Dec. 12. That’s because on Dec. 6., the previously twelfth-ranked women’s basketball squad took down nationally first-ranked Carleton Ravens.
The Gee-Gees came out firing on all cylinders, fresh off a two-game weekend in which they took down York, 71-57 and McMaster, 62-51. The squad hasn’t lost a game since their opener, which took place on Nov. 3 against Guelph.
The Ravens were on a win-streak of their own coming into the game. Carleton had a perfect 9-0 record coming into the Wednesday evening ‘Bytown Battle’, but that didn’t seem to phase the Gees.
Right off the opening tip, the Gees were demonstrating their skill on both ends of the court. After an Allie McCarthy steal, Ariane Saumure drained a two-pointer. On the very next Gees possession, Saumure would hit from beyond the arc, giving the Gees a 5-0 lead.
The Gees would increase their lead all the way up to 10-0 in the first two minutes, and they wouldn’t relinquish it. At halftime, the home team led 40-24, thanks to a buzzer-beater layup by Saumure. The Western transfer would finish with a game-high 21 points, while also adding eight rebounds and three steals.
Head coach Rose-Anne Joly spoke postgame about what she told the team after the dominant first half. “I told the girls at halftime, ‘this is us’,” Joly said. “This is not because of the rivalry, this is not because we were excited to play them, this is not because we were afraid of playing against a number one team. This is who we are, and we’ve been waiting to show it.”
Saumure’s backcourt partner Natsuki Szczokin enjoyed similar success. The fourth-year guard has been a beacon of consistency for the squad thus far and has scored double-digit points in every game so far this season, save for that game against Guelph.
Szczokin finished the game with 15 points and five assists. The guard touched on the group’s effort after the game. “This [was] definitely a team effort, all the girls stepped in and did what they had to do,” the Barrie product declared. “It’s amazing playing at home too, with our crowd. But honestly, making sure that we’re all in the game together and doing it as a team was the most important part of this win today.”
The 2022-23 OUA Third Team All-Star also discussed the team’s approach coming into the matchup with the previously undefeated Ravens. “When we beat teams that beat Carleton or were close with Carleton, it’s definitely a sign. I think even before those games, we knew we had it in us, but [the game] against Brock was definitely a starting point, for sure.”
The team’s defense was a huge reason why they were able to take down their cross-town rivals. The Gees limited the Ravens to just 56 points, a far cry from the 104 the visiting team racked up against the York Lions this past weekend.
Third-year forward Emily Payne was a big part of that defensive effort as usual. The 6’2” Barrie product averages 1.5 blocks per game, and she racked up three against Carleton. Postgame, Payne said that the defensive side of the game is “super important” to her.
“Especially as a new player, coming in and getting big minutes, just re-defining what my successes are, what I’m going to do to help the team this year, or in this specific game. If it’s blocking, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Joly also commented on the team’s defensive prowess. “I think we can always rely on our defense. It’s been the case since the beginning of the year; it’s been the case since I’ve been a head coach here, since Andy Sparks was the head coach here, and I wanted to keep it that way.”
Joly went on to praise the Gees offence. “I’m most proud of our offence. We’ve only been averaging 68, 69 points a game, so for us to be at 40 at halftime and to finish with 79, that’s massive.”
Third-year wing Allie McCarthy was another huge part of that offensive effort. The Grand Falls, NB product finished with 17 points, which included three makes from beyond the arc. Fifth-year forward Melina De Iulio was the final Gee to hit double digits; the Burlington product finished with 10 points, a made three, and 3 rebounds on just six field goal attempts.
The Gees season will resume Jan. 5, when they welcome the Queens Gaels to Montpetit. The Gee-Gees improved to 9-1 on the season with the victory and pause for the Christmas break even with the Ravens atop the OUA East division.
