The Olds College women's varsity basketball team finished third in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association tournament, held from March 14 to 16 in Nova Scotia, defeating the second-ranked St. Thomas University Tommies 72-65 in the bronze medal game.
After opening the tournament with a 77-54 win over the Algonquin Thunder on March 14, the Broncos had to regroup after being defeated 73-56 by the No. 1 ranked Montmorency Nomades on March 15 in a semifinal game after being tied 46-46 with the Nomades at the end of the third quarter.
The Broncos had led the game 38-32 at the half.
"St. Thomas was No. 1 all year in the national rankings. They have a very well put together team, they have the CCAA coach of the year and Ö that's the gym that they won their conference championship in and they had a barn full of fans,î said Reg Carrick, the Broncos' head coach.
"It was a tough game but our girls Ö were just resolute that they weren't going home empty-handed,î he said, noting the Broncos did an excellent job of playing a high-tempo, pressure-type game. "I think that we just eventually wore St. Thomas down with it Ö and I thought our transition baskets were just a little too much for them.î
Carrick gave full credit to the players for responding well to the tough loss on March 15 against the Nomades, rebounding the next morning with a 72-55 victory over the Vancouver Island University Mariners to put themselves into the bronze medal game.
"We didn't give them a wake-up call, we didn't tell them what time they had to be up on Saturday morning. Our entire team was downstairs having breakfast at 7 a.m. (for a 10 a.m. game). That was a decision that they got together and made as a team. The looks on their faces (in the locker room prior to the game said) we're ready to do this. I was tremendously proud Ö and Vancouver Island just didn't know what hit them,î he said.
Carrick said the team can be incredibly proud of finishing third in the country after having been ranked No. 7 in Alberta heading into the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships, which they won to qualify for the national tournament. The Broncos were ranked No. 5 heading into the national championship.
"The second semester was great. The girls came together, the girls bought in to our philosophy Ö and probably more significantly than anything else, we got healthy. For a first-year program, it's ridiculous where we've set the bar,î he said.
Prior to the tournament, Jylisa Williamsó who was an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference's player of the yearó was named the CCAA player of the year.
Carrick said while the honour was well-deserved, Williams didn't let it get in the way of her performance during the tournament, where she scored a total of 123 points.
"She didn't shrink from that challenge (of proving herself),î he said.
"It was a tough game but our girls ... were just resolute that they weren't going home empty-handed."Reg Carrick, head coach, Olds College varsity women's basketball team
