Gees open tournament with quarterfinal matchup against Laval
On Thursday, the Gee-Gees women’s basketball team open their bid for the program’s first ever national championship with a quarterfinal matchup against the Laval Rouge et Or at 3 p.m. EST.
Six years have passed since the beloved Gee-Gees last appeared on a national stage to showcase what they’re built on: speed, skill, and, more importantly, dedication.
In 2019, the garnet and grey we are used to seeing were competing for the bronze medal at TMU after a semifinal loss to the same Rouge et Or.
So, the question today is what has followed the team from six years ago to the team that is entering the championship today?
Sarah Besselink knows best. Besselink, an OUA Second Team All-Star that year, now serves as assistant coach for the Gees under Rose-Anne Joly. Joly was Besselink’s assistant coach then, helping the team win the bronze under that year’s OUA Coach of the Year Andy Sparks.
Besselink says that both teams have an outstanding point guard who really makes everyone around them better. Then, it was Amelie Hachey, now, Natsuki Szczokin, named as a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian on Thursday night.
Both teams have outside shooting and two tall post players who can defend multiple positions. Besselink gives us the secret: “Both teams were able to play eight to nine players consistently, which truly seems to be a recipe for success.”
Besselink says she’s “enjoying all the little things that come with [the return],” reflecting on that day and where she stands now. She adds, “It is really more fun as a player at nationals, but coaching at it is the next best thing.”
Riding high after winning the provincial title against the Carleton Ravens, the Gee-Gees are feeling fantastic. “They are all locked in and believe in one another,” says Besselink, which is exactly what you want in a team about to compete for the national title.
Besselink says that Laval, the Gees’ quarterfinal opponent, “do an outstanding job of spreading the floor, and any one of them can sink a three-pointer.” Therefore, in the words of the Gee-Gees’ coach, “the main focus is on containing their shooters.”
Szczokin, who’s All-Canadian selection was the first in her career,, is leading the team to Vancouver and reminding us that this is what they’ve been chasing all season. After that Critelli Cup championship, she said, “our end goal is nationals this year, so we’re looking at the bigger picture and trying to stay focused on our goals for the end of the year.”
The game tips off at 3 p.m. EST. Make sure you support the Gee-Gees and watch them conquer the game — or, as they have been saying all season — watch them “compete,” as it has been their motto since the beginning of the year.
Watch them win their matchup and do all the little things that come with competing which hopefully brings another medal home on CBC Gem or CBC Sports.
