Former Raven turned Gee-Gee finishes with game high of 16 points
Photo credit: Richard Whittaker
The Carleton Ravens struggle for most of the game, as the U of O Gee-Gees take them down Jan. 9.
Both the Gee-Gees and Ravens were five and three after the first half of the season. Carleton was hot off a three-game winning streak, but the Gees were the better shooting team with 41 per cent compared to the Ravens’ 36.
The two teams set out for the number one spot in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) North division.
During the first minutes of the game, the Gee-Gees came out of the gates on their heels, and nerves got the best of their offensive game. The Ravens had a 5-0 lead, but Ottawa went on a 13-0 run, and shut them out to end the first quarter.
Despite the Ravens’ height, they were unable to get most of the rebounds for the majority of the game. The Gee-Gees came out with a full court press and played aggressive defence throughout the rest of the match. Carleton was limited to tough shots and passes, resulting in numerous turnovers.
Carleton’s struggles only continued as the majority of their starters got into foul trouble late in the third. This gave Ottawa the upper hand, as they were able to get the ball inside to their posts to extend the lead in the fourth. The Gee-Gees won the game 53-48.
“I was really happy with the effort our undersized posts put in,” said head coach Andy Sparks. “We worked really hard on the low post and the high post, and I think the pressure we put on those positions was really the difference in the game tonight.”
For former Raven and current Gee-Gees shooting guard Krista Van Slingerland, the game meant a lot. She was the difference maker in key situations throughout the game and finished with a game high of 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.
“My teammates were key for me in the past week,” said Van Slingerland. “They never said it, but I knew they were rallying close around me to give their support, and that made a huge difference.”
“This is a great step forward,” she added. “Obviously now we’re top in our division. It’s really about us and not other teams. Us continuing to do what we excel at from here on.”
The Gee-Gees will meet up against Lakehead on Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. and Guelph the next day at 6 p.m., both at Montpetit Hall.
