NEWS PHOTO SEAN ROONEY Keyano's Moiyan Toure (left) receives a pass as Medicine Hat's Katelyn Rozdeba defends during an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference quarter-final game at the Snake Pit Thursday.
Trailing the top team from the north by six points with a few minutes to go, the Medicine Hat Rattlers had already done more than they were supposed to.
The host team at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships had scrapped its way back after a 15-point deficit to the Keyano Huskies. They dove for every loose ball, hounded the bigger Huskies on defence and had the faithful at the Snake Pit ready to explode.
Morgan Muir’s defender stumbled, and the fifth-year Rattlers guard stepped back to launch a three-pointer.
It wasn’t to be.
Keyano never did trail in a 56-48 quarter-final victory, advancing to play another south team, St. Mary’s, in an 8 p.m. semifinal tonight.
But the hosts sure did make it interesting.
“We said in our room, our defence was the best that we’ve played all year,” said Katelyn Rozdeba, who had 10 points and 16 rebounds in the loss. “Our buckets weren’t really going in but our defence made up for it.”
Moiyan Toure had 18 plus 11 boards for the Huskies, her presence in the key undeniable as one of the strongest players in the conference. But Medicine Hat didn’t back down, Muir at one point trying to draw a charge on Toure, and Keyano certainly came away with respect for Medicine Hat.
“Everyone’s competitive, we don’t take any team for granted,” said Toure, whose team is looking to improve on last year’s silver medal finish.
Kaleigh Sellers had 12 points including 4-for-5 from three-point territory as the Huskies led by eight in the first quarter and didn’t give much up themselves until the fourth.
Muir had 17 points, five steals and four assists but the Rattlers will play NAIT in a consolation side game Friday at 3 p.m. instead.
“Our gameplan was just to play, attack, hustle and that’s what we did,” said Rhiannon Ware, who had eight points and seven rebounds for the home side. “Unfortunately we had a slow start, couldn’t come back from that.”
St. Mary’s had the biggest win of opening day at the championships, a 76-36 blowout of NAIT led by Juhee Anderson’s 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. The Lightning were too quick for the Ooks, who got eight points from each of Lauren Payne and Hallie Watt.
In the 6 p.m. semifinal it’ll be defending national champion Olds and Lakeland. Olds beat Augustana 71-55 in a runaway, while Lakeland was tested in a 72-64 win over Lethbridge.
ACAC player of the year Brittney Thibeaux had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Broncos, while ex-Medicine Hat player Sheridan Popenia had 11 for the Vikings.
Lethbridge led at the half against Lakeland, but the Rustlers turned it on late with Jaden Cook scoring 10 of her game-high 18 in the fourth quarter. Brianne Hergott had 12 points and 21 rebounds. The Kodiaks were led by Marlin McMurray’s 14 points and 11 rebounds, while south rookie of the year Natalie Hoyt added 13.
Both semifinal winners advance to nationals in British Columbia. The Day 1 losers are fighting for bronze.
“Effort-wise, you can’t ask for more. It was definitely a learning experience for the girls who are going to come back next year,” said Hat coach Clayton Nielsen. “I think we’re going to be better for it.”
