U of W women’s basketball team falls in Classic finale

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This article was published 31/12/2018 (2460 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT was a disappointing end for the University of Winnipeg women’s basketball team — even if the last few minutes of Sunday’s Wesmen Classic final provided the most excitement for everyone else.

The Wesmen rallied from a sluggish beginning that forced Winnipeg to play catch-up well into the second half before a late surge made for a stimulating finish. In the end, the Wesmen lost 65-54 to the Regina Cougars, a team ranked No. 9 in the country and one that entered the weekend having won their past six games.

“We have to come out harder in the beginning,” said third-year point guard Farrah Castillo, a California native in her first year with the Wesmen. “We tend to show fight towards the end of the game, but we’re not going to win a lot of games that way.”

The hosts opened the tournament with a bit of a run themselves, winning three of their final four games before the holiday break. They advanced to the semifinals with a win over the UBC-Okanagan Heat then edged crosstown rival the University of Manitoba Bisons 72-68 to punch a ticket to the finals.

But by the time the first quarter expired, the Cougars had made quick work of the Wesmen, up 22-7, and it looked like it was going to be a long day for Winnipeg. By halftime, with the Wesmen down 31-15 and shooting a dismal 14.3 per cent from the field, a comeback seemed unlikely.

Still, the Wesmen managed to push through, outscoring the Cougars in the third frame. Castillo, who finished with 14 points, four assists and two steals, hit a three-point shot and then added a two-point jumper with one second left in the third quarter to cut Regina’s lead to 10 points, 46-36.

Castillo, along with fourth-year forward Faith Hezekiah, were named tournament all-stars for Winnipeg. Hezekiah led the Wesmen in scoring in all three games, including a 27-point performance Sunday.

It was the first time in the tournament’s 52-year history that women’s basketball was 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 women’s basketball and volleyball, which now alternate on a four-year cycle.

“It was awesome to be part of the tournament, altogether, and it was lots of fun,” Paige Hastings Van, Winnipeg’s lone fifth-year player, said. “It was a great way to start the second half of our season and get our legs for that.”

The Cougars — who dominated Algoma and then eked out a victory over the Lakehead Thunderwolves to reach the finals — average the most points of any other team in Canada West and are third in all of U Sports, putting up 79.6 per game. The fact Winnipeg was able to cut that total by close to 15 points showed promise.

“There was one point in time we had our three rookies on the floor, and to see them out there learning and competing, the future for us is very bright,” said Tanya McKay, who, earlier in the weekend, recorded her 500th win as head coach of the Wesmen, something she considers a major highlight in her 23 seasons with the team. “Right now, we’re trying to get better for the second half of the season, and the kids are really excited about that.”

The Wesmen will need to improve in the second half if they hope to make the post-season. They sit in 12th place with a record of 4-8. They’ll hit the road next weekend for a pair of games against 7-3 Trinity Western.

HERD FALLS TO T-WOLVES

The University of Manitoba Bisons played earlier in the day, falling to the Lakehead University Thunderwolves, 72-46, in the third-place game.

The Bisons started the tournament strong, earning a convincing 88-44 victory over the Brandon Bobcats to advance to the semifinals. Manitoba (5-5)won’t have it easy when they return to action next weekend for a two-game series in Edmonton against the University of Alberta Pandas. The Pandas (8-2) are in fourth place in the division and have won their past six games.

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