The Carleton Ravens women’s basketball team defeated the Algonquin Thunder 83-61 on Sept. 25 at the Ravens Nest.
The Ravens got their first win of the pre-season, led by a huge showing from centre Heather Lindsay, who had 18 points and 17 rebounds.
The Ravens started out strong, opening with a 11-3 run. Abeer Farhat, the starting point guard for the Ravens, began the game hot, making three out of her first four shots.
Algonquin played great defence to get back in the game, and by halftime, the Ravens only had a four point lead. Jeylinh Bui was the catalyst for the Thunder, scoring 8 of their 10 points in the first half with some tough shots. The Thunder had some great looks and came out with great intensity, but had trouble finishing at the rim all game.
The Ravens started the second half with a newfound energy, using it to run the Thunder out of the game. Using the speed of their guards and forwards, the Ravens got many wide open fast break layups to increase the gap. The Ravens took complete control of the game in the final minutes of the third, ending the quarter with a one-legged fadeaway buzzer-beater by forward Amanda Niyonkuru.
“We had a good talk at half about the little things,” said Ravens small forward Nicole Gilmore said. “We knew what we needed to do, so we got it done.”
The final quarter was uneventful, with Algonquin unable to close the gap. The Ravens bench closed the game comfortably, and Carleton got the win they were looking for.
The Ravens’ starters took control of the game, scoring 62 of their 83 total points. While the Thunder played solid defence, they allowed 22 offensive rebounds and had a stagnant offence which led to their downfall. The Thunder shot just 27.9 per cent from the field, compared to 38.9 per cent for Carleton.
“We went basic [defensively] in the second half, just staying in front of them,” said Ravens head coach Taffe Charles.
Working to implement a new offensive system, he commended his players, saying, “We made a lot of changes, but I think they adjusted to it very well.”
Nicole Gilmore finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists, showing off her variety of moves along the way. Teammate Elizabeth Leblanc had 14 points and seven rebounds, and won the player of the game award.
Charles praised Leblanc on her performance, saying “She’s one of the youngest players on our team, and just needs to use her athleticism all the time. When she does, she’s a dynamic player. She has it in her—we just need to get it out.”
When asked what was on her mind when the game got close, Leblanc only had one thing to say: “Winning.”
The Ravens play next on Oct. 23, facing off against the Regina Cougars at the Ravens Nest.
