Wonderful day for Wesmen

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This article was published 28/12/2018 (2462 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a day of celebration for University of Winnipeg women’s basketball, filled with a nod to the past and showcase of the present.

On Friday, as part of the opening-day festivities of the 52nd annual Wesmen Classic, the U of W unveiled a new ring of honour. Inducted were longtime coach Tom Kendall and former player Sandra Carroll, both of whom helped give prominence to the program. Their names now adorn the track at the north end of the University’s Duckworth Centre, with more to be added over time.

Later on, it was the current edition of the Wesmen women that took centre stage, the hosts clinching a berth to the semifinals with a 72-62 win over the UBC-Okanagan Heat. Fittingly, the victory marked the 500th win for Wesmen head coach Tanya McKay, now in her 23rd season with Winnipeg.

“It’s really nice for the program and I’ve been very fortunate along the way to have a lot of great kids and a great coaching staff to guide me through,” McKay said. “I played under Tom Kendall so it’s a pretty special day, overall, to be here when he’s being recognized. This has just been, with all the kids I’ve coached and the staff with me, it’s been outstanding.”

Kendall, inducted to the builder’s category, led the Wesmen women’s team to 11 conference titles and three straight national championships, from 1993 to 1995. During that spectacular run, he also tied the UCLA Bruins for a North American college record of 88 consecutive victories – a stretch that lasted from October 1992 to November 1994.

Carroll, who played her high school basketball at John Taylor and was inducted into the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, was a four-time all-Canadian during her time with the Wesmen. C0nsidered to be the driving force of the Wesmen’s most dominant era, she was a member of the three national championship teams in the early 90s, while also winning CIAU player of the year three times and twice being named nationals MVP.

“The Wesmen Classic is very special,” McKay added. “We’re part of a tradition here.”

It’s the first time in the tournament history that woman’s basketball is the feature event. The Wesmen Classic used to be limited to men’s basketball but a decision in 2017 changed that, expanding the tournament to include men’s and woman’s basketball and volleyball, which now alternate on a four-year cycle. Last year, it was men’s volleyball.

McKay has a lifetime of memories from the Wesmen Classic, having played five years for Winnipeg before embarking on a coaching career. Put on the spot to recall a fond memory of the tournament, she recalled a moment 32 years ago, when she was a rookie with Winnipeg.

“We were playing in the final and we won. I remember getting a pass around the foul-line area and making a dump pass to Beth Cochran for a layup,” McKay said. “For me, as a rookie, I was making a pass to our best player and she scored. I remember, after winning, all the media around our team, giving the kids a lot of attention and then reading in the paper the next day and watching the news. It was a really cool moment as a rookie.”

She added: “Now our kids are in the spotlight and this Classic is about them.”

The Wesmen entered Friday’s game having rebounded from a slow start to the Canada West season – the campaign marred by a string of season-ending injuries to key players – that has them in 12th place in the division, at 4-8. Victories for Winnipeg in three of its last four games have eased some of the early disappointment, with the Wesmen feeling better about where their game is headed.

A win over the Heat was another good sign.

Led by fourth-year forward, Faith Hezekiah, who paced all scorers with 28 points, Winnipeg rallied from a slow start — “turkey legs”, as many players called it, a by product of the holiday break — to beat UBC-O, who have lost all 13 of its games this year. Third-year guard, Farrah Costillo, was also a force, chipping in 14 points, as well as a team-high five assists.

“This weekend is just a learning experience, whether we win or lose,” Castillo said. “At the beginning of the season it took us a while to gel as a team; it took us a little while to get some wins. So as long as we get better with every game, that’s all that matters.”

BISONS ROLL OVER BOBCATS

The Wesmen will play a familiar foe in the semifinals, needing a win over the University of Manitoba Bisons for a chance to reach Sunday’s final.

Tip-off is at 6 p.m. tonight at the Duckworth Centre.

The Bisons rolled over the Brandon Bobcats, doubling them up, 88-44, in a game that didn’t take long to get out of hand. Manitoba opened the game with a 12-0 run and by halftime had built up its lead to 42-21.

Brandon, who entered the game having lost their last six, provided the mojo-boost perhaps needed for the Bisons. After starting the season with five straight wins, Manitoba had dropped its last five. They currently sit in 10th place in the Canada West standings but if they’re able to get something going this weekend, it may propel them to strong start in the new year.

Twelve players scored for the Bisons, with Nicole Konieczny, a fourth-year guard, leading the way with 14. Third-year guard Keziah Brothers was the next highest scorer, with 12 points, and fifth-year forward Claire Harvey added a game-high 15 rebounds.

Brandon was paced by fifth-year forward Lauren Anderson, who scored 11 points and had nine rebounds. With the loss, the Bobcats are relegated to the consolation side and will play UBC-O in the semifinal today, with the game starting at 4 p.m.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.catwitter: @jeffkhamilton