In a title-defending season, the scene at George Leach Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. proved the Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team’s defence to be very much alive.
After a dominating four-game homestand, the Ravens visited the Algoma Thunderbirds and returned with a resounding 71-38 win.
With the win, Carleton improves to a 14-1 record, surpassing their rival uOttawa Gee-Gees for sole authority of first place in the OUA.
From beginning to end, the Ravens maintained a consistent lead that widened as Carleton mercilessly dismantled the Algoma defence.
The Ravens scored 18 points in the first quarter while only conceding seven with strong defensive showings from Kyana-Jade Poulin, Hadeza Ismaila and Kali Pocrnic, who all contributed steals to ensure Algoma had no room to work with.
The second quarter was more of the same for the Ravens, scoring 18 points through 10 minutes while holding Algoma to 10 points.
The third quarter was somehow even more dominant, as the Ravens scored 23 unanswered points and kept the Thunderbirds to just eight.
From there, it was smooth sailing as all the Ravens had to do was continue their strong defensive front to keep the game out of reach for their opponents.
As for offensive leaders, nobody on Algoma was stopping Ravens forward Jacqueline Urban, who led the team with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
This game truly showcased the Ravens’ sheer depth. Both Ismaila and Teresa Donato scored double-digit points coming off the bench, while Ismaila also notched eight rebounds.
The bench scored 36 of the total 71 points, demonstrating the team’s vast array of offensive weapons. Everyone who stepped on the court was ready to play.
Ravens head coach Dani Sinclair maintained a constant player rotation, which did not affect the quality of their game as the Ravens secured more rebounds from start to finish.
Overall, Carleton played a fundamentally sound basketball game in which they dominated every aspect on both sides of the court. Their dominance is critical as they put the final touches on a nearly perfect season in preparation for playoffs.
Even when running up the score, the team commitment to defence was always present.
With just seven regular season games remaining, the Ravens will look ahead to their next game as they take on the Laurier Golden Hawks at the Ravens’ Nest Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.
Featured image by Veronica Carvalho/The Charlatan.
