RECAP: Late push not enough for #8 Women’s basketball in Capital Hoops Classic

A run of 12 unanswered points in the second quarter gave the Carleton Ravens a lead they would not relinquish.

The second-ranked team in the nation emerged 66-60 victors in the 15^th Capital Hoops Classic in front of a packed Arena at TD Place. Ottawa falls to 5-10 in the annual affair with the defeat.

"I'm very proud of the girls," said Gee-Gees head coach Rose-Anne Joly. "We have to be realistic in that we're working through not having our best athlete on the floor right now. We're just trying to find chemistry and I think we made a step forward today." 

Brigitte Lefebvre-Okankwu, the Gee-Gees leading scorer (16.1 points-per-game) and rebounder (8.1 rebounds-per-game) was unavailable due to injury. 

Emma Kiesekamp was the difference maker for Carleton, leading the game with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Point guard Kali Pocrnic commanded the offence with confidence, earning 17 points, nine of which came from beyond the arc. 

Ottawa, ranked eighth in the U SPORTS Top 10 heading into the matchup, started the game on the front foot, but the Ravens led 15-11 after the first quarter and 34-26 at the half. 

The Gee-Gees offence came alive in the third quarter, accounting for 20 points, and cut the lead to six points with under two minutes to go in the fourth. Carleton would hang on however, improving to 16-2 on the season.

"It felt really good, especially because of COVID and we didn't really have a season [in 2020-21]," said Natsuki Szczokin, referencing last year's Capital Hoops Classic being played in front of limited spectators. "These games are definitely steppingstones for us. Even if we lose, it's going to motivate us to do better. In our meeting after the game, we talked about how we are going to play for each other, and that's our main goal for the upcoming games."

Szczokin, Nadine Katumbayi, and Oksana Gouchie-Provencher were each in double-figures for the Garnet and Grey, with Gouchie-Provencher's 12 rebounds giving the Montreal product her second double-double of the campaign. 

Ottawa falls to 16-3, although results elsewhere did guarantee the Gee-Gees at least one home playoff come the postseason. 

The Gee-Gees hit the road for another crucial game against the country's fourth-ranked team, the Queen's Gaels, on Sunday, Feb. 5. They'll return to Montpetit Hall for back-to-back home games against the Nipissing Lakers (Friday, Feb. 10) and the Laurentian Voyageurs (Saturday, Feb. 11).

Tickets for all Gee-Gees home events are on sale at tickets.geegees.ca.