Natsuki Szczokin led the team with 23 points to tie Queen’s for second place in the division
Nov. 25 —The Gee-Gees faced off against the 2-6 Laurentian Voyageurs at Ben Avery Gym. Despite their great shooting percentages, the Voyageurs were no match for the Gee-Gees, as they were able to defeat them by double digits and continue their six-game winning streak.
The first quarter started with a good offensive effort from the Gee-Gees. The team was shooting very well from the mid-range zone, as well as grabbing a lot of rebounds in the offensive zone. The Voyageurs responded with great shooting from the mid-range and the three-point line.
The Gees’ defence against the Voyageurs’ scoring was lacking as they kept running into foul trouble and giving up free throws. The Gees were struggling to score near the end of the quarter, missing free throws and not hitting any shots to get points. However, a turnaround was about to occur very shortly.
The second quarter started with a sweet fastbreak layup from point guard Natsuki Szczokin and a corner three-point shot made by wing Allie McCarthy. Szczokin is a fourth-year student with a ton of accolades on her resume, and is averaging 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. McCarthy is averaging 10 points a game while not missing a free throw yet this season.
The scoring has improved massively for the Gees and they bounced back from a mixed quarter. The Gees’ defence was locking down the Voyageurs for the quarter as they were not able to score a single point for four minutes. The Gees’ were grabbing more rebounds to create better chances. The Voyageurs were still hitting their free throws because the Gees kept fouling them in their zone, but it was a better quarter for Ottawa as they went to halftime.
The third quarter started with some solid scoring from the Gees. The team was making better shots and were drawing fouls on the Voyageurs to get more free throw attempts made. The Gees were playing great defence in the paint, stopping close shots and layups.
The Gees’ defence had racked up 14 steals at this point and used it along with their defensive rebounding to create more opportunities on offense. Laurentian was pushing for an offensive comeback near the end of the quarter, making shots and getting free throws. The Gees were struggling to score at this point but they found a way to finish strong against the Voyageurs.
The fourth quarter started with some good perimeter defence from the Gees as they were shutting out the Voyageurs from the three point line. Forward Melina De Iulio stole the ball from a Voyageurs player to set up a big layup from Szuzokin. De Iulio is a three-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and she is currently averaging one steal a game.
The Voyageurs were doing much better for shooting threes, so the Gees were making sure to play tougher defence at the perimeter to keep their lead. They were forcing the voyageurs to turn the ball over a lot to create more chances. Forward Emily Payne hits a three-pointer from the top of the key as the Gees’ three-point shooting improved. The Voyageurs collapsed entirely and the Gees’ defeated them by double digits with a final score of 71-57.
The Gee-Gees are now second in the OUA East standings with a record of 6-1 as they are facing off against the York University Lions on December 1st. To watch the game, check out on OUA.tv.
