SYDNEY—The feeling of a potential upset loomed in the air.
The day already saw three close matches decided in the final minutes. In each game, the favourite team—the team with the higher seed ranking—was alarmed by the thought of defeat, let alone the moments when they faced it.
Nevertheless, the favourites pulled through. Whether it was an overtime victory or the underdog missing the last-minute shot, the higher seeds got it done.
Then, up stepped the No. 1 seed, the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team, who are seeded as favourites to win the 2023 U Sports Final 8 championship.
To do that, the Ravens had to first defeat the host team, the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers. But when you face the host team, you don’t just play the roster, you’re up against the fans too.
That’s exactly what Carleton went through Thursday at the Sullivan Fieldhouse in Sydney, N.S., when they beat Cape Breton 56-51.
The crowd at Cape Breton says "Hey" pic.twitter.com/2T5IvzMpyB
— Jayden R. Dill (@JaydenDill) March 10, 2023
“It’s a really fun atmosphere to be a part of; great fans,” Ravens’ head coach Dani Sinclair said.
At first, the Ravens struggled, and the crowd cheered at their dismay. As Capers’ forward Kiyara Letlow sank her jump shot to put CBU ahead by 10, the crowd of orange erupted in excitement—they were beating the highly rated team 25-15 with 5:37 left in the second quarter.
The Capers’ hope of beating the Ravens was at the doorstep of reality.
But as fast as it began, is as fast as it ended. Within minutes, the Ravens cut the lead down to three. Guard Kali Pocrnic sank a mid-range jump shot while guard Dorcas Buisa followed up with a daggering three and mid-range jumper of her own.
It was a reality check for the Capers, bringing them down off cloud nine. It was the Ravens’ reminder that this basketball game is 40 minutes and not two.
It was a reminder the Capers did not forget.
At halftime, the Ravens were up 30-29, indicating the game was neck and neck. But the third quarter still remained, and playing Carleton in the third is usually where teams make or break themselves, but more often than not, they break themselves.
The Ravens outscored their opponent in the third in 20 of 22 games this season. They’ve held the opposition to under 10 points in eight of those games. The lowest points allowed were three against the Laurentian Voyageurs and Ontario Tech Ridgebacks and one against Queen’s.
Tonight, Cape Breton suffered the same fate. The Ravens held the Capers to five points in the third quarter, while Carleton scored 14.
But Sinclair doesn’t credit Thursday’s win to the Ravens’ third-quarter display. She actually emphasizes the team’s scoring run at the end of the second.
“I would say what kind of saved us … Are the last few minutes of the second quarter,” Sinclair said. That’s where Teresa Donato came in and changed the game for us. She was playing [without fear], hit some shots and got some steals.”
Donato was game MVP for the Ravens. She scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Dorcas Buisa is worth a notable mention for her performance. She scored 20 points on nine for 20 shots and got 11 rebounds to wrap up her double-double in 31 minutes.
The Ravens will take Friday to prepare for their matchup against the Saint Mary’s Huskies on Saturday. On Friday, Cape Breton will be back in action to play in the consolation semifinal against the Calgary Dinos.
Featured image by Jayden R. Dill.
