The main gym of the ARC turned into a battlefield this past weekend as both Gaels Basketball teams faced off against the University of Waterloo Warriors.
Women’s Basketball wins 67-42
The atmosphere at the ARC was palpable as the Women’s Basketball team faced off against the Waterloo Warriors in their highly anticipated Shoot for the Cure game on Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.
Coaches, players, and fans filled the main gym, all adorned in various shades of pink, showcasing their support for the U SPORTS Women’s Basketball breast cancer fundraising initiative.
The Shoot for the Cure campaign launched in 2007 and has since become a powerful force in the fight against breast cancer with all 48 U SPORTS women’s basketball programs taking part.
Over the years, the campaign has raised over $1.75 million, providing crucial support to the Canadian Cancer Society and various local and provincial charities.
Amidst the sea of pink, Gaels Guard Emma Weltz, Nurs ’24, highlighted the significance of the cause, emphasizing the far-reaching impact of cancer on everyone’s lives.
“Cancer is something everybody is affected by at some point in their life and so I think raising awareness and money for such a great cause is super important. To win that game on our home court is really special,” Weltz remarked in an interview, highlighting the emotional and competitive stakes tied to the game.
From the opening tip-off, it was evident this game would be a gritty, physical battle. However, none of this stopped the Gaels from putting up 13 points to the Warriors’ nine in the first quarter.
Continuing to dominate, the Gaels ended the second quarter with a big three-pointer from Laura Donovan, Nurs ’24, and headed into half-time with a score of 26-14.
“Waterloo did a good job rebounding and that caused us a few issues, but we made some adjustments at halftime,” Gaels Head Coach Claire Meadows said after the game. “I thought we were the ones that really set the tone and pace for the game.”
The Gaels came back from half-time rested and ready to play, putting up 20 points in the third quarter, bringing the score to 47-24.
Carrying this momentum forward, the Gaels finished the game with a score of 67-42.
Top scorers included Julia Chadwick, MIR ’25 (who finished the game with 18 points), 10 rebounds, and four blocks: Donovan with 15 points and Weltz with 14.
“They came out aggressive and I think that’s a good challenge for us. We were looking to battle it out and we had a lot of fun,” she said.
Weltz said the Gaels played with a good pace and intensity, and with every game, the team is working towards something bigger.
With playoffs around the corner, remaining in a top spot helps set the Gaels return to the U SPORTS Championship game where they lost 71-59 against the Carleton Ravens last season.
After securing this win, the Gaels are now 17-2 on the season and are looking to extend their eight-game winning streak against the Lakehead Thunderwolves in Thunder Bay on Feb. 9.
Men’s Basketball wins 106-65
The Men’s team commenced their game against the Waterloo Warriors at 6 p.m. on Feb. 3.
This is their eighth consecutive victory. The Gaels now hold a 17-3 record and are undefeated on home court.
From the initial tip-off, the Gaels took control. The game saw a barrage of three-pointers, with Michael Kelvin II, ArtSci ’25, leading the charge as they launched their offensive attack from the get-go.
Luka Syllas, ConEd ’24, contributed to the momentum with a swift three-pointer. However, the Warriors promptly countered with a three-pointer of their own.
After a close first quarter, another three-pointer from David Ayon, CompSci ’26, tied the game. Queen’s capitalized on a steal to secure the lead.
It was 19-17 for the Gaels at the end of the first quarter.
The Warriors started with the ball in the second quarter, followed by a big block by Kelvin II, who scored a quick three-pointer during a fast transition. This was followed up by another three-pointer.
A big steal from Queen’s led to a breakaway dunk, forcing the Warriors to call a time-out.
Another steal by the Gaels led into a two-side fast break, pushing the Warriors into their second timeout of the second quarter.
Queen’s maintained their hot streak through the remainder of the second quarter, extending their lead to 47-32 by half-time.
The Warriors kicked off the second half by sinking a three-pointer.
In line with their performance throughout the game, the Gaels promptly answered with two three-pointers of their own, sustaining their strong shooting from the first half.
The Gaels forced a turnover, continuing the tough defense prevalent throughout the game.
Kelvin II continued shooting well from the three-point line, sinking two more in the basket.
The third quarter ended with the Gaels keeping their lead at 81-55.
The fourth quarter began with the Warriors taking an early timeout, sinking the bucket quickly following.
Queen’s remained hot, hitting for threes, now up by thirty with a score of 89-59. They soon pushed the lead to a gap of forty points.
The Gaels cruised into a low-pressure fourth quarter, winning the game with a final score of 106-65.
“I didn’t really shoot the ball very much yesterday, so he [Head Coach Stephan Barrie] told me to just keep shooting and be fearless—that’s kind of the message for all the guys who went into the game,” Kelvin II said in a post-game interview with The Journal.
Coach Barrie told The Journal the team’s shooting tonight was one of their better shooting performances of the season.
“Our defence had some holes that we need to clean up. Our defence has been good for the last seven or eight games. [It’s] not where it needs to be for the end of the season, but our shooting gave us a chance to get through that and be successful,” Barrie said.
Noting the league is extremely competitive right now, Barrie explained everyone is capable of beating everyone else.
“Once you start to look ahead or behind at how well you’re doing, you’re going to get bit in this league. Our guys do a really good job of not paying attention to that stuff and taking each day for the day that’s at hand,” he added.
The Gaels get back in action on Feb. 9 in Thunder Bay as they take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves. They return to the ARC on Feb. 16 for a home game against the uOttawa Gee-Gees.
Tags
Claire Meadows, Julia Chadwick, Men's Basketball, Michael Kelvin II, Waterloo Warriors, women's basketball
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