It’s often said that offence wins games, but defence wins championships.
The Olds College Broncos dug deep defensively when it mattered most, coming from behind in the final 90 seconds to defeat the Keyano College Huskies 54-51 to claim the ACAC Women’s Basketball Championship at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre on Saturday.
The championship is the second in Broncos women’s basketball history, with the first coming in the 2012-13 season.
Kristina Bajovic paced the Broncos with 18 points and three assists, while player of the game Brittney Thibeaux put up 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Michaela Allen-Gullion also put up a strong game for Olds College, finishing with 11 points, four steals and three rebounds.
Moiyan Toure led Keyano with 13 points and 14 rebounds en route to player of the game honours, while Augusta Kievisaite added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Before a hostile hometown crowd in Fort McMurray, the Broncos and Huskies traded blows in the opening quarter, with Keyano opening up an early 10-6 lead. However, the Broncos answered with an 8-0 run, though a jumper by Kievisaite cut Olds College’s lead to 16-14 after one.
The second quarter told a very similar story, with neither team willing to give the other an inch on the court. The Huskies briefly took the lead late, but the Broncos dug in to take a slim 28-27 lead into halftime.
The stalemate continued throughout the third quarter as both teams played tight defensively, though it was the Huskies who controlled the balance of the play as they took a 39-38 lead into the fourth quarter on their home court.
A pair of Toure free throws early in the fourth gave Keyano a 44-38 lead, the biggest margin on either side. However, the Broncos would claw back, with a three-pointer by Bajovic closing the gap to one shortly thereafter.
From there, Thibeaux made her presence known, tying the game with 2:17 remaining, then drawing a crucial three-point play with 1:18 left to put Olds College up for good.
The Huskies had a chance to force overtime in the dying seconds, but a three-point attempt from Sarah MacDonald was off the mark.
Thibeaux was named the tournament’s most valuable player, with Bajovic and Kyla Adams earning places on the First All-Tournament Team.
Both the Broncos and Huskies will compete in the CCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship from March 13-16, hosted by Cegep Sainte-Foy in the Quebec City area.
