NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Jasmine Gardiner of the Medicine Hat College Rattlers women's basketball team goes for a layup in the first quarter of the Rattlers 65-48 win over Briercrest college Friday night at the Big Marble Go Centre.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat College Rattlers women’s basketball team took over Friday night.
The Rattlers beat the Briercrest College Clippers 65-48 in their final game of the regular season to cap their year with an 8-8 record. Heading into Friday night’s game the women’s basketball team had already clinched a playoff spot in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
When asked how nice it was to see his team not punt on their final game despite already having a playoff spot, head coach Clayton Nielsen said it was a good win for the Rattlers and it was all about pride.
“…Our team over the past five years has had a standard of we keep working no matter what it is, we want to strive to be an excellent team,” Nielsen said. “Whatever that is, that’s what they want too. We have a lot of vets that aren’t coming back next year and they want to leave with a win, leave on a hight note.”
Katelyn Rozdeba and Abygail LaRochelle, two of those Rattler veterans who are leaving once their season ends, led the way offensively Friday night.
Rozdeba was the game’s leading scorer with 25 points, 18 rebounds and five steals in 36 minutes of play. LaRochelle had 17 points, 13 rebounds in 33 minutes of play as the duo combined for 32 of the Rattlers’ 65 total points.
Nielsen said if Rozdeba and LaRochelle play like they did Friday night, and the rest of the team plays like they did, they can beat anyone.
“I think if they are playing like that, I don’t know who stops us because they are so good and playing aggressive like that,” Nielsen said. “Our perimeter players, our guards were just shutting down people too. So if our guards can stop people and those two can score, I feel really confident that our team can do good things.”
Besides the offensive showing from Rozdeba and LaRochelle, the Rattlers were motivated by getting redemption for their loss to Briercrest at home on Feb. 3. The Rattlers led that game by 12 at the half before collapsing and losing 75-66 to the Clippers.
Friday night the Rattlers led 44-37 after three quarters but ended that third quarter by allowing Briercrest multiple opportunities to score and pick up rebounds.
Nielsen said the message heading into the fourth quarter was just reminding his team about that previous collapse.
“We just brought it up, ‘Hey guys this is what happened last time,’ it was just effort and want,” Nielson said. “I think we just came out and Kat kind of took over and Aby played good all game… When people weren’t doing what they felt like the normally do, they found another way to contribute.”
The Rattlers led in almost every team statistic, out-rebounded the Clippers 53-35 and had 22 points off turnovers to Briercrest’s five.
The women’s basketball team has a couple weeks off before the playoffs begin. Nielsen said he is looking forward to his team getting some rest before working on their energy level.
“There’s a couple of people that just need a little rest, just nicked up a little bit…,” Nielsen said. “We just have to keep making sure we keep fit.”
The Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s basketball team took on the Clippers immediately after the women’s game. That contest was not done by time of press.
