If there’s one common thread within the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team’s first five games, it’s that depth has been the key to their 5-0 start.
Carleton received double-digit point totals from four players in their 88-41 dismantling of the York Lions on Nov. 10, while five other players each earned six points. The team doesn’t boast a top-10 scorer in the OUA, but you’d be pretty hard-pressed to find another bench with as much talent as Carleton’s.
Of course, the Ravens are leaning heavily on championship veterans Jacqueline Urban, Teresa Donato, Kyana-Jade Poulin and Dorcas Buisa for scoring.
“We have a good core of veterans that have been around the block and know what it means to play a preseason and get into [the] regular season, and I think they’ve had good focus through that,” Ravens head coach Dani Sinclair said.
But the magnitude of their success thus far wouldn’t be possible without the three rookies who stood up to the task of replenishing the program’s talent: Catherine Oliver, Nathalie Francis and Maeve McSwiggan.
WBB | Nathalie Francis With A Beautiful Hustle Rebound, Catherine Oliver With A Nice Assist! pic.twitter.com/DYXSEPJRBG
— Carleton Ravens (@CURavens) November 11, 2024
Oliver and Francis played large roles in the latter half of the game against York, posting a combined 12 points, four steals and four rebounds. Oliver was tied with veteran Buisa for most minutes played, and it’s become clear the coaching staff is more than comfortable giving her and Francis significant floor time — the duo played more than anyone in the season opener against the Western Mustangs.
For Francis’ part, she leads the OUA in field-goal accuracy, shooting 61.5 per cent from the field, and she recorded a double-double in just her second game.
Sinclair praised the rookie trio for their ability to step into big minutes right away and put points on the board.
“I think it’s a testament to the program and the players that have come before them,” she said. “They get recruited by our current athletes and they’ve really approached that knowing what we’re all about. They just are the right people and they keep getting better every day and they’re very willing to do that.”
The veterans were no slouches either, setting the tone early against the 2-1 Lions, who were coming off an 85-44 thrashing at the hands of the uOttawa Gee-Gees.
Team-leading scorer Donato continued her roaring start to the season, racking up 11 points and three three-pointers in just 19 minutes of action. The guard has seen a steady increase in responsibilities since last season, and Sinclair said she’s been highly capable since her first year.
Perhaps no Raven was more efficient with the ball than Noelle Kilbreath, who’s looked completely at home even as a fifth-year transfer from MacEwan University. She threw down 17 points in 20 minutes and was the needle-mover to Carleton’s early 26-6 lead in the first quarter.
“There’s some girls on the team who have been here a long time, so I’m definitely looking to them a lot, and they’ve been really gracious in supporting me and encouraging me,” Kilbreath said. “But just trying to do what I can to get the job done.”
But Sinclair commended her maturity in being able to step into a prominent starting role on one of the nation’s top rosters.
“It’s hard to come in as a transfer and be a big-time leader and vocal leader, but she just is accepting of the role that she’s carved out for herself,” she said.
Donato and Kilbreath’s first-half performances allowed the Ravens to shuffle through the bench in the second half, and the defence held a dejected York squad to just 13 second-half points, sealing a decisive and disciplined win.
https://twitter.com/CURavens/status/1855760437440036928
Carleton tamed the Lions in a more impressive fashion than rival uOttawa, with their 47-point margin besting the Gee-Gees’ 41, but that’s of no concern to this team.
“I don’t feel like we’re in a place where we have to compare ourselves to any teams,” said Poulin, who quietly racked up a team-best 18 points. “We’re just focusing on our team. It’s nice for them, but we’re actually just focusing on ourselves.”
The Ravens have another gimme back at the Ravens Nest on Nov. 15 against the struggling Algoma Thunderbirds, but Sinclair warned of tougher games ahead of them — the Brock Badgers, Guelph Gryphons and McMaster Marauders, who have a combined 14 wins and two losses this season, are all scheduled for November.
“There’ll be some big tests for us as we go along, but to this point, I think they’ve done a pretty good job.”
Featured photo by Marc Lafleur/Carleton Ravens
