The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball team knows the celebratory feeling well, but it may have been stronger than ever Saturday night as the team claimed its 10th Canada West championship before a sea of green and white.
“You can’t really put words into it,” Huskies star guard Gage Grassick said. “To be able to share this once again with my friends and family is really a feeling that you can not describe.”
The Huskies are the titans of Canada West women’s basketball for the second year in a row, defeating the visiting UBC Thunderbirds in the conference final game 71-59 at the Physical Activity Complex.
The win marks the 21st consecutive victory for the Huskies, after dropping both games of their season-opening series to the Calgary Dinos back in early November.
“This is incredible to be able to do it on home court,” Huskies head coach Lisa Thomaidis said. “Last year we had to go away to B.C. and win it on someone else’s court, but it’s so nice to be at home and do it in front of these amazing fans. To have this place rocking tonight and behind us, that was a huge part of it.”
Saturday’s victory, however, didn’t come without some resiliency from the home side. The Huskies struggled to get their offence going and found themselves trailing UBC by nine points early in the second quarter.
Shooting a mere 25 per cent in the opening 10 minutes — including going zero-for-4 from beyond the arc — Saskatchewan finally started attacking thanks to a spark from their star guard, Grassick.
The recently named Canada West women’s basketball player of the year was superb for the Huskies in the win, as she would score a game high 31 points while adding another seven assists.
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It was an MVP-caliber performance that didn’t come as a surprise to the rest of her team.
“She’s the heart and soul of this team, truly,” Huskies guard Maya Flindall said. “She’s an amazing captain, just truly the best leader and captain you can have. She shows up in big games, it’s what she does. I’m just so grateful to know her and she’s made me so much better. I’m so happy for her.”
Pulling themselves to a 37-35 deficit to UBC at halftime, the Huskies controlled the second half of play and never relinquished their lead the rest of the way to earn their fifth Canada West title in six years.
“So proud of my teammates,” Grassick said. “The work we’ve put in for nine months to get to this moment… just being able to once again to share that with my teammates is an indescribable feeling.”
The Huskies organization made history as a whole on Saturday as well. The win makes them the second Canada West team, after the University of Victoria Vikes, to win at least 10 conference championships — all of which have come in the Thomaidis-era. She won her first Canada West championship as Huskies head coach in 2006.
“Coach has been here for all of them,” Flindall said. “To be able to play for her and learn from her every single day is just the biggest privilege. It’s really something that’s incredible to be a part of.”
The Huskies will now be chasing a national gold medal in Vancouver, having qualified for the U Sports Women’s Basketball Championship with their semi-final victory last week.
And last year’s national championship final loss to the Carleton Ravens is still fresh in their minds.
“We’ve watched that game film of us playing Carleton probably a handful of times,” Grassick said. “Just how much we can get better, that’s kind of shaped our practices this year, to be able to face that again. We’re hungrier than ever and super excited to be able to go back.”
The U Sports Final 8 Tournament will begin on March 13 for the Huskies on the UBC campus and will run through March 16.