Following the Marauders basketball team’s 74-67 win against the TMU Bold, they gear up for their next challenge against the Queen’s Gaels
As the McMaster University Marauders continue their Ontario University Athletics playoffs, the air is thick with anticipation.
Coming off a vigorous win against the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold, the team is riding a wave of confidence while maintaining a realistic outlook of the challenges ahead.
The Marauders’ recent victory over TMU began with a rocky start as they fell behind in the early stages of the game. The Bold's aggressive opening led to them securing the first quarter 20-12. However, the resilient mindset within the squad picked up as the game carried on.
Sparked by Nathan Charles' steal and reverse layup, McMaster clawed back, gradually overturning the score through strategic plays and sheer determination.
This win was particularly sweet given the team's journey so far. Facing the departure of some veteran players, the injuries of key players like Ares Culley-Bremner and Brendan Amoyaw and integrating fresh talent have been formidable challenges this year.
"At the beginning of the season, people thought that we weren’t going to win thatt much. We lost a lot of our players [and] our veterans… We really just have to go out there and do what we know we can do," stated Charles.
As attention turns to the upcoming game against Queen's University on Feb. 24, the Marauders know what faces them ahead. Previous encounters have tested their abilities, with the last matchup ending in a 76-67 win for the Gaels. The Gaels’ physicality and focus on dominating the paint present significant obstacles the team will look forward to.
"We know we’re going to have to play physical. Queen’s is one of the better teams. . .I’m going to try and set the tone early so we can hopefully go up in the first and second quarter and keep on building from there," said Charles.
As the team prepares to take on Queen’s, who come into the playoffs with an 11 game winning streak, their strategy aims to match physicality with tenacity, focus on teamwork and maintain the momentum. The playoffs are not just a test of skill but a testament to the Marauders' spirit and resilience.
With their eyes on the prize, the team is ready to give it their all, setting an inspiring example of what it means to compete with heart and hustle.
Playing at the Burridge Gymnasium, the Marauders grabbed their second OUA win against the University of Toronto after a challenging preseason
The McMaster University men's basketball team started their preseason back in September with three games against teams outside of the Ontario University Athletics league. The Marauders played against the Mohawk College, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Concordia University.
The results from these games showed some inconsistencies in the team, as they finished with a record of one win and two losses. A notable defeat during the team's preseason was against the Concordia Stingers, as in years past the Marauders have consistently been able to beat the Stingers.
The results that came from these games showed some inconsistencies in the team, as they finished with a record of one win and two losses.
The team's up and down form did not stop after these games as the team continued their preseason at the University of Manitoba Bison's tournament where the Marauders suffered three losses and picked up only one win.
Before the OUA season opened, the Marauders suffered another unsuccessful game against Mercyhurst University but they did manage to pick up a win against the visiting University of Calgary.
The Marauders began their OUA campaign against Laurier University, where they played the Golden Hawks on Nov. 1. and picked up a win with a score of 75-72.
In their first OUA home game, the Marauders hosted the University of Toronto and they began a winning streak, beating the Varsity Blues with a score of 78-80.
A few of the Marauder players especially shined in their first game of the season at Burridge. Fifth-year Daniel Graham and fourth-year Moody Qasim tied as scoring leaders, with both players putting down career highs of 16 points. Defensively, fourth-year Nathan Charles cleaned up with three rebounds.
Fifth-year Daniel Graham and fourth-year Moody Qasim tied as scoring leaders, with both players putting down career highs of 16 points.
This is a promising start of for the Maurauders, following their unsteady preseason, and hopefully they are able to keep up their current form as the season continues.
For the first time ever, the McMaster women’s basketball team have brought the Bronze Baby home.
It has been a long time coming for Burns, but so worth the wait. The head coach has been with the Marauders for the last 29 years and has yet to win it all like she did this past weekend.
Ending the regular season 21-3, the Marauders turned up the intensity and remained undefeated in the postseason. For Burns, competing and winning at this level was something the team knew they could do from before the season even started.
"We believed we could do it. It's been the mindset all year,” said Burns. “Then, as the year went on and we continued to build, we got better as it went."
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="254" gal_title="Womens Basketball National Championship"]
The U Sports women’s basketball Final 8 festivities kicked off with the annual All-Canadian gala. McMaster veteran Hilary Hanaka made Mac proud, taking home the Sylvia Sweeney Award for Student-Athlete Community Service for her outstanding contributions both on and off the court.
Hanaka is well known for her leadership on the court, but off the court, her work with McMaster Athletes Care, Varsity Leadership Council, McMaster Women’s Athletic Leadership Council, Neighbourhood Hoops Program, Flamborough Fire basketball and St. Mary’s Catholic High School, all contributed in her earning the honour. The All-Canadian was also named a U Sports Second Team All-Star that night.
With the awards wrapped up, the Marauders hit the court for the first game of the tournament, a quarter-final matchup against the Concordia University Stingers. Mac superstar Sarah Gates put up a career high of 32 points and the Marauders took down the Stingers in a dominant 86-68 victory.
Next, McMaster faced the third-ranked University of Saskatchewan Huskies, advancing to the final game with a 73-66 win. When Laval defeated the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 60-56 in their own semifinal game, the stage for finals was set.
🚺🏀 | @McMasterSports head coach Theresa Burns shares her thoughts on what today’s historic semifinal victory meant to her team and her program as a whole. #ChampSZN pic.twitter.com/31BW7KrE76
— U SPORTS Basketball (@USPORTS_Bball) March 9, 2019
Heading into nationals, the Rouge et Or were ranked number one due to their nearly perfect season, with only one loss to McGill University, while the Marauders ranked second. With the story of Laval’s Khaléann Caron-Goudreau’s journey airing on Sportsnet’s pregame, it was very clear who the favourite was perceived to be. Yet, quickly after the whistle blew, it was obvious that the Marauders were not ready to go home without what they came for.
The first quarter was low scoring, as not only were both the Marauders and the Rouge et Or playing strong defense, but they also struggled to hit wide-open shots. By the end of the first quarter, Mac was up 11-10, but that was the last time that they would lead the game until the third quarter.
Sarah-Jane Marois of Laval got hot in the second quarter, finding and making shots to help Laval lead at the half, contributing 13 points in the quarter. The impact of Marois’ ability to hit shots that both teams struggled with earlier made the Marauders head into the half down 27-33.
“The game plan is to always be as tough as we can be defensively, stay positive, and no matter what happens, you just keep picking each other up and good things will happen,” Burns said. “They’re just so resilient. We’re playing a good team, we’re playing No.1 in the country, so they’re going to get their runs, they’re going to score. But when we bent we didn’t break.”
The thing about bending is that there is always a snapback, and snapback they did. Coming into the third regrouped and focused, the Marauders began to play at a different level. Linnaea Harper started off the third quarter strong with a three, followed by a Gates’ layup that helped the Marauders cut the lead to 33-32 in the first minute.
Mac led again for the first time since the first in the third quarter, thanks to consistency from Gates, Harper, Hanaka and most importantly, Christina Buttenham. Buttenham, who went on to be named the player of the game, contributed both offensively and defensively for the team throughout the entire matchup. Buttenham had 13 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three blocks that left her grinning from ear to ear.
Ensuring the Marauders would not fall behind again, Buttenham not only stole the ball but scored off a rebound, helping the Marauders go into the fourth 44-44. Starting the fourth from the free-throw line, the Marauders led throughout. But it was the laugh from regularly composed head coach Burns after Harper’s off-balance shot gave Mac a 10-point lead that made the Marauders and fans watching know that they had sealed the deal.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu2n2Q1BJOE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Not only did the women’s team make Marauder history, they finally were able to give Burns the one thing she has been chasing for 29 years.
“To be able to do this after five years, in my last year is so amazing,” said Harper, the tournament’s most valuable player. “This also means the world to [coach Burns] she’s been doing this for 25-plus years, and to finally make it to the National Championship and win, we’re so happy to do this for her.”
Harper and Gates both contributed 18 points while the eldest Hanaka brought in 12. Laval may have had the U Sports Player of the Year Marois on their side, but the Marauders beat the odds and reminded us exactly what hard work can do.
🏆CHAMPIONS🏆
Women’s Final 8️⃣: @McMasterSports ⛹️♀️ wins their first 🏆 title 🥳
Le 8️⃣ Ultime ⛹️♀️ : Premier titre national pour les Marauders de McMaster 👏
🔗 EN: https://t.co/griQQinYgH // 🔗 FR: https://t.co/NehCE8xrll#ChampSZN pic.twitter.com/jEI5IAhAX3
— U SPORTS (@USPORTSca) March 11, 2019
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Tonight, Thursday Feb. 28, is the semifinal playoff game for the McMaster women’s basketball team and the rematch of the 2018 Ontario University Athletics Critelli Cup finals. Facing the Carleton University Ravens in Burridge Gym will be a nostalgic match, as the Ravens walked away with the Cup last year on the Marauders’ home court. Luckily for Mac, this year they are going to the semifinals as the third best team in the nation while the Ravens’ are seventh.
C/O OUA.tv
Ending the regular season 21-3, the Marauders earned their right to a first-round bye, and faced the Brock University Badgers in the OUA quarter-finals. Although the Marauders headed into the game with as much success as they did, the game was not as easy as they would have liked. After struggling for the first half, it was in the third quarter that the Marauders were able to break away and win the match 81-70.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUZYBZhxi_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sarah Gates, who was chosen for the 2018 OUA All-Rookie Team after a strong rookie campaign, scored a whopping 28 points, shooting nine of 16 from the field and five of 10 from three-point range. Her performance was a testament to her overall season, even securing a spot on the OUA All-Star Second Team.
Senior Hilary Hanaka helped out offensively as always, scoring 12 points. Both Hanaka and Linnaea Harper, who sat out of the quarter-final game due to injury, were recognized as First-Team All-Stars.
For the Marauders, staying consistent and not letting the memories of the last Carleton-McMaster matchup get in their heads unless to fuel them, will be the key for the Marauders to return to the Critelli Cup finals once again.
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By: Adriana Skaljin
Being in athletics, especially at a university level, can add pressure to the lives of athletes. Whether it comes from personal expectations, or those of coaches and fans, pressure can affect both their physical and mental states.
Matt Quiring, who has been a forward for the McMaster men’s basketball team for four years, began playing due to his family’s love for the sport.
“I started playing when I was in the third grade, but started playing competitively in Grade five,” said Quiring. “I’m glad that my parents forced me to play, considering that I was shy. It got me to where I am today.”
Through basketball, Quiring met many important coaches and players who provided him with opportunities he would not have experienced otherwise.
“Basketball also taught me hard work ethic, [which] I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else,” explained Quiring. “This skill can be translated later on in life.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsgmAYBBlS6/
Sefa Otchere, first-year starting guard, also acknowledged the ways in which basketball has positively impacted his life.
“[The sport] is still impacting my life,” Otchere said. “Playing sports made me get out of my house, and [ultimately] showed me different places [while] making new friends.”
Both players also commented on the pressures that playing at a university level places on them.
“There is a lot of pressure that comes with the sport, both academically and athletically,” said Quiring. “It can get to you a lot of times. The mental and physical struggles can become taxing.”
Quiring and Otchere have implemented motivational strategies to work through their doubts and create a positive mindset when going into their games.
“[The pressure] is something I’ve struggled with,” said Quiring. “Recently, I have increased my confidence and have used pregame techniques given to me by a sports psychologist. There is a whole mental side to preparing.”
Otchere has a similar approach to handling pressure, starting with not putting expectations on himself.
“Basketball should be used to relieve stress and pressure, rather than provide that. I try and remind myself that before games,” said Otchere. “I make sure to remember that I need to go out and have fun.”
A healthy mindset is also important when coming back from a loss or a tough game. Recently, the Marauders suffered back-to-back tough losses against Brock University and Western University on Jan. 30 and Feb. 2.
“It’s always hard coming back from a loss because you have to watch the film and look at your mistakes. Then you have to fix them before the next game,” said Otchere.
That’s what we’re talking about 😤💪 @sefa_otchere https://t.co/R7DfdZpImM
— McMaster Basketball (@mcmastermbb) January 19, 2019
“You need time to mourn the loss, in a sense,” added Quiring. “After that, you need to put it behind you and realize where you messed up, and then learn and move on.”
Otchere also had to prepare for his comeback after his injury earlier in the season.
“I felt like I had to get my [groove], and confidence back,” said Ochere. “I also had to do extra practices to physically get back into the game as well.
Going into the end of the regular season, the players have applied these techniques as a means for achieving their goals.
“Besides winning, we want to make it to the final four and get to nationals,” said Quiring. “[Coach] Patrick Tatham preaches consistency [and] sets up team and individual workouts to develop skills needed to achieve our goals.”
“We need to make it known that we are one of the best teams,” said Ochere. “[All of] my focus is towards playing right and making playoffs.”
It is evident that both mental and physical health are important towards the well-being of athletes. The McMaster men’s basketball team’s perseverance and passion for the game will definitely be reflected in the upcoming games and in their journey towards nationals.
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By: Graham West
Hard work, toughness and focus are the key elements that have led to Hilary Hanaka’s outstanding success at the university level. After recently achieving the milestone of 1000 career points, Hanaka is looking forward to a season filled with promise.
Hitting 1000 career points is a huge career landmark and it meant a lot to Hanaka, although she stressed the importance the team has had in contributing to her being able to achieve it.
“It’s a pretty big milestone to hit and it means a lot to hit that point,” Hanaka said. “But, of course it’s a team sport overall, so I think I’m more excited to figure out where our team will end up this season… it's obviously nice to hit that point, but I obviously wouldn’t have gotten to this point without the help of my teammates and my coach.”
http://www.instagram.com/p/BszRnMfBPy4/
It has not always been easy on the path to greatness for Hanaka as there have been challenges with balancing academics and being a varsity athlete.
“There are positives and negatives. Coming into first year, that was when the big adjustment hit,” Hanaka said. “Obviously, it’s a much bigger time commitment being on a varsity team and having classes every single day, practices every day and you’re away on weekends and just making sure you find the right balance to do everything.”
“With that being said, you’re surrounded by an incredible group of girls, coaching staffs,” Hanaka added. “We have so much support through the athletic department, so whenever things were going downhill, you always had someone to pick you back up.”
Hanaka’s experience with the difficulties athletes can face and her expertise on the court are some of the things that make her a great leader. Being there for her teammates on and off the court is instrumental to the success of the team and something that is incredibly important to her as well.
“Off the court is just as important as on the court when it comes to varsity sports,” Hanaka said.
“Being a veteran player, I’ve been around for five years so I’ve been through most of the things that bring you down and that go on. So just being able to be there for the girls is something that I really strive to do.”
“Just knowing that I’ve been in the position of a first-year, second-year, third-year and even a fourth-year player and things aren't always fun and games there’s always going to be those lows,” Hanaka added. "Being able to make sure the girls are aware that I’m always there for them, whether it’s something basketball-related, life-related, school-related, whatever it might be, that just because I’m a leader on the court, doesn’t mean I can’t be the leader off the court. ”
http://www.instagram.com/p/BtYum4ABzqm/
Whenever Hanaka’s career as a player ends, it will most certainly not be the end to her basketball career. When you have a particularly knowledgeable player who is a natural leader, coaching is always on the horizon. It is something Hanaka is interested in, and given her success as a player, seems very possible.
“I would love to be a coach. Growing up I’ve always been surrounded by basketball and it’s been a huge part of my life,” Hanaka said. “Being a player has been incredible, but I think I’m kinda ready to hang up the shoes and move forward. Hopefully down the road, coaching is something that I’ll be put into.”
Always one of the first people in the gym, Hanaka has had an outstanding career so far in the maroon and grey and looks to only improve. The team is one to watch as they continue to play their way to a return to nationals, with their eyes clearly set on taking home gold.
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Things have been going very well for the McMaster women’s basketball team and they have no plans to slow down. Currently in first place in the Ontario University Athletics West with a 12-2 record, and the worst arguably behind them, another trip to the University Sports national finals looks on the horizon. But this time, senior guard Hilary Hanaka and the Marauders aim to leave with a medal.
“Once you get that taste on court playing against the best teams in Canada, it only makes you hungrier for more,” said Hanaka. “You know that you're there and you can compete, but I think just being on that playing field for the first time there was a lot of nerves going into it. I think we didn't play quite to our full potential.”
Although the Marauders faced teams like the McGill University Martlets, who they have seen before in exhibition play, the games against teams like the University of Calgary Dinos, who play a much grittier style than Hanaka and the Marauders were used to, caught them off guard. But Hanaka believes that having been there before, in addition to having such a tough OUA season this year and playing against highly skilled Ontario teams, will help the Mac women get to that top level to compete at Nationals.
“Knowing that we got there is a huge step in our team success,” Hanaka said. “Of course, our ultimate goal was getting to Nationals and getting a medal would have been a bonus, but I think for a young team with lots of changes, that was a huge stepping stone for us. So right now we are just making sure we have an opportunity to get back there to prove that we deserve to be there and that we can do better than we did last year.”
So far ensuring that OUA playoff spot has been going well for the Marauders. Even with the loss of key veterans like Lexie Spadafora, Jelena Mamic and Adrienne Peters, Mac does not appear to have missed a beat. One of the reasons is the addition of Christina Buttenham, a Hamilton native and transfer from the University of Iowa, where she played from 2014 to 2017.
“It's always tough to lose senior players. With their experience on and off the court, it’s obviously a huge loss for us,” said Hanaka. “But I think gaining players like Christina, who's been in high-level basketball for years, is something that is huge. She stepped right in and already fills a leadership role on the team.”
Not only does Buttenham have National Collegiate Athletic Association experience, but she also played for the Canadian Junior National team in 2014, and was named an Academic All-Big Ten selection as a junior and as a sophomore while at Iowa.
Buttenham has already been such a great addition for the team helping defensively, averaging 5.4 rebounds a game and having the fourth highest points per game average on the team, with 9.9. The help has been able to give Hanaka the opportunity to have big games like she did this past weekend against the University of Guelph Gryphons.
With a game-high of 28 points, shooting an astounding 62.5 per cent from the field and 72.7 per cent from the three-point line, Hanaka led the team to defeat the Gryphons 109-80 on the road.
🏀 FINAL: Hilary Hanaka drops 28 on the road, as @MacWbball blows past the Gryphons 109-80 to improve to 11-2 on the season.@mcmasteru returns home to Burridge Gym tomorrow! #GoMacGo pic.twitter.com/pEXrId3YnT
— McMaster Marauders (@McMasterSports) January 12, 2019
“Getting back into things after the holiday break is never easy, so just going back into these last two games I've been on myself to make sure I've been coming out with that fire,” said Hanaka. “Of course, once you start hitting those first couples of shots and my teammates are cheering for me on the bench and making great passes, it just makes it so much fun to play with them and to do well.”
Guelph was one of two wins this past weekend, the second came against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks, who they defeated 59-43 to earn their sixth straight win. Having already played their most personal game this season against the reigning OUA champs the Carleton University Ravens, defeating them 64-52 in November, the worst is over and focusing on staying on top is the Marauders’ top priority.
“Just knowing that our end goal is to get that national championship helps us take every game as it comes and to not overthink them,” said Hanaka. “Another focus has been trying to remembering to take no game for granted, because there has been a lot of upsets in the OUA this year and we don't want one of those to be us.”
With the Marauders’ next two games coming against the Lakehead University Thunderwolves this weekend, they will be making sure they go into every practice seriously so that they are focused come game time, regardless of who is wearing the opposite jersey. This is the mindset the Marauders plan to have until the last buzzer goes off for the season.
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On March 20, the Best Buddies McMaster University Chapter hosted Best Buddies Canada’s annual Hooping it Up event. The event was a free-throw competition that took place in elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities across Canada. For a $2 donation to your Best Buddies chapter, students will attempt to sink as many baskets as possible within 60 seconds.
Best Buddies Canada is an organization that promotes one-on-one friendships with students and a person with an intellectual disability. At McMaster, students in the club are paired up with people with intellectual disabilities in the Hamilton community better known as “buddies”.
Many buddies come from Community Living Hamilton, which is a centre for people with developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome and Autism. The centre offers a wide range of programs and services that appeal to every age – kids to seniors – and different levels of support.
For chapter president Melodie Kim, her involvement with Best Buddies dates back to her first year in high school.
“I noticed there were a lot of special needs students at our high school who were very isolated from the other students,” Kim said. “After getting to know about the Best Buddies program, I thought it would be a great idea to bring it to my school. I contacted Best Buddies Canada and we launched the program as a high school chapter. It was definitely a challenge starting a new club and running it, but it was awesome because we had so much interaction between the students and the special education program.”
The success of the club over the next four years was the reason why McMaster having a Best Buddies chapter played a role in Kim making her choice for post-secondary education.
“I joined in my first year and I was paired up with my buddy Laura,” Kim said. “It was a transition for me because in high school, the buddies were also in high school, but in university, they were a range of different ages. For example, my buddy Laura just turned 52 last week.”
“Commuting from campus to her house was different for me as well but it was nice because we didn't do that in high school,” Kim added. “We also had monthly events and a lot of activities planned for us, so I got to know her a lot better through that.”
Getting to interact with people outside of the bubble that she lives in is extremely beneficial for Kim, having the chance to interact with other she would normally not encounter.
“We usually only engage with other university students but I think it’s important to interact with people from diverse backgrounds,” said Kim. “One group of people that many people do not often think about are those with intellectual disabilities. I’ve even had people ask me why I am friends with them and at first, those questions shocked me — but it made me understand even more how important is to get exposure to people who are different from you are.”
Through events like Hooping it Up, students who are not members of the club also get the opportunity to do this.
“We have really wanted to have the basketball team come for a long time now and I think this was the first year we’ve had them there,” said Kim. “It was great because obviously they were very good, so it really made the event a lot more engaging because a lot of people showed up and they were just in awe of how good they were. It was really nice to have them come out and support us.”
Christina Buttenham and Hilary Hanaka from the women’s basketball team both scored 28 baskets, while Sheldon McIntosh from the men’s team scored 20. For the buddies, Susan Holmes scored eight baskets and Jonathan Chalmers scored seven baskets.
For McIntosh, to be able to support the cause in this way allows the Marauders to show a different side of the student-athletes.
“I think it’s important because it shows that as athletes, we care more about sports and about the importance of giving back to the community,” said McIntosh.
The event is one of hopefully many more sporting events with the Marauders that Kim and the Best Buddies hope to hold in the future. To be able to give those in need a real friendship is a valuable experience to everyone involved.
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By: Andrew Sarkis
The McMaster women’s basketball team has not looked back since their Oct. 26 opening-night victory, compiling an overall record of 6-2 since then. The Marauders are currently riding a four-game winning streak and have outscored their opponents by an average of 22 points over that span.
The team’s most recent victory came on the road on Nov. 24, which turned out to be an up-and-down matchup against the Brock Badgers. The game was not an easy one for Mac. They squandered a first quarter 21-10 advantage, allowing the Badgers to tie the game up at the half.
Coming down to the latter stages of the fourth quarter, the Badgers attempted to claw their way back into the game by putting down a few late-game shots. Brock’s comeback attempt ended up being unsuccessful as the Marauders prevailed with a 70-61 win.
Head coach Theresa Burns credits the team’s unselfishness and overall comfort level as some of the reasons for their recent success.
“I think we’ve had a lot of nights where we shot the ball well,” Burns said. “I think we are spacing the floor and sharing the ball well. Some of our younger players are really starting to gain confidence and step up their game and look more comfortable. We’re getting contributions from our whole lineup, which is great.”
Additionally, Burns has credited one of the team’s star players, Hilary Hanaka, as a focal point for their recent success.
“Every game we get different contributions from different people,” said Burns. “I think Hilary Hanaka has certainly been a tremendous leader for us, especially since Linnaea Harper got injured. She has an incredibly high basketball IQ. As well as being able to generate offence for herself, she creates offence for other people. She defends for us. She just brings so much leadership to our team. We depend on her for a lot. She’s really turned into a good leader for our group.”
Hanaka’s impressive play has not only been recognized by her coach and teammates, but by the league as well. She was recently honoured with the Ontario University Athletics Athlete of the Week award. Hanaka averaged 30 points over the course of the Marauders’ back-to-back wins against Laurentian and Nipissing. The fourth-year guard recognized the honour as a great individual achievement.
“Individually, it’s obviously a great honour,” Hanaka said. “It’s always a been something that I’ve kind of strived for, to be able to be a leader on the team. This year, we’ve lost a couple of starters and our significant players. Stepping into the captain role this year, I had some big shoes to fill so it’s nice to have that confidence behind me now.”
Hanaka was also quick to credit her teammates as a reason for her individual accomplishment, mentioning their help as a reason for her success.
“I think just for myself and my personal game, that extra step and level of confidence is something that came with that award, knowing that other people are believing in me,” said Hanaka. “So putting in that extra effort is going to get me great places and help my team as well. But I wouldn’t have been able to receive the award without the help of my teammates. They are always willing to push me to the next level and they are half the reason that I’m able to score all those points.”
Sitting atop the Western division in a three-way tie with Lakehead and Windsor, the Marauders are at a good standing in the league. Looking to continue their success, Mac is up for a clash against the league-best Carleton Ravens. The Ravens are currently seated in first in the Eastern division with a record of 8-0. Carleton has dominated their competition, winning the majority of their games by a large margin in commanding fashion.
While the Marauders will be focusing on preparations for the undefeated Carleton Ravens, they will do so by fine-tuning details. Entering the next part of their season, the Marauders will not look to change their approach drastically.
“We want to play at fast pace, and that won’t change no matter who we’re playing,” said Burns. “For us, some of our young group will need better attention to detail. There are little details in our game that just aren’t there completely yet. We can get away with that sometimes, maybe against certain teams, but you can’t get away with that against teams like Carleton.”
Hanaka echoed her coach’s statements, noting that extra time will help the team be able to best prepare for the Ravens.
“We have pretty well the same approach all the time,” Hanaka said, “We’ll do some scouting of the other team and mainly focus on our own team stuff. Coming into this weekend, we’ll probably have an extra couple of days to go over the Carleton stuff, knowing that they’re obviously a very talented team.”
While they will focus their gameplay to accommodate the specific advantages the Ravens boast as a team, the Marauders also know they can rely on their own skill set that has not let them down this season. When something is working, it does not need to be altered.
“We’ll just go in like every other game and know that we’re prepared, and that when we play our game we can put up a good fight against any team that we’re up against,” Hanaka added.
Time will tell how the Marauders will fare against the Ravens, as they are set to square off in a heavyweight match on Dec. 1. This match kicks off a pivotal part in the basketball season and this matchup is one of many important contests the Marauders will have to win on the road to the playoffs.
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If you have ever watched an award ceremony at the end of the season, you know it is not the champions that stir up the most emotion of the night. The Most Valuable Player might get the most applause, but it’s always another title that bring fans to their feet.
The Tracey Macleod Award was established to recognize a university athlete displaying ‘courage overcoming adversity.’ For the first time since 2008, and the second time in the award’s history, that honour was given to a Marauder: Vanessa Pickard.
Pickard actually began her career in 2011 at the St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. Originally hailing from Riverview N.B., Pickard had played two years on Canada’s U16/17 national team before signing on to play under head coach Matt Skinn.
“Things looked really promising for me” said Pickard. “I was really excited”
In her first season Pickard came out firing, putting up 17.2 points a game and claiming Canadian Interuniversity Sports Rookie of the Year. But in her final game of the season Pickard sustained a concussion, the first in what would be a series of head injuries to plague her career.
In her first game at Burridge Gym, Pickard tore her ACL, enduring one surgery to replace it and two additional procedures to correct complications in the coming months.
“[At the time] I don’t think I really understood the ramifications of a concussion,” said Pickard. “So I didn’t really take care of it and it lingered for a few months… but we were done basketball so I thought I could get over it.”
In the fall of 2012 during her second year at St. F.X., another serious concussion would sideline Pickard for five more months. Pickard was also rehabbing under new leadership, as head coach Matt Skinn departed to coach the men’s team in Cape Breton and was replaced by Augy Jones.
“I was stuck in a position of trying to come back from my concussion, maybe [I] came back too early,” said Pickard. “It was hard playing under a new coach, it was difficult to establish myself… and a concussion is a really difficult injury. It’s not just the physical part of it there is an emotional toll as well.”
Pickard returned in the second semester of her second year, but the challenges of extensive rehab meant it would take time before she could make her presence felt on the court. By the time next season rolled around year Pickard was hit again, suffering her third concussion in as many years.
“It took a big toll on me” said Pickard. “I decided that that environment wasn’t the best for me so I took off my fourth year and thought I was going to hang up the shoes forever.”
While finishing her undergraduate degree, the coaching staff at McMaster caught wind that the sharp shooter they had recruited out of high school had a few years of eligibility remaining and decided to extend an offer.
“I knew [at that point] if I was going to play basketball again, it would be at Mac,” said Pickard. “And that’s strictly because of the people here. The coaches are phenomenal... I knew they would treat me as a person. It wasn’t just about basketball… I knew I would have a good experience.”
"I'll defend my thesis in July, finish up at Mac, and head off to med school. It's a nice little cherry on the top I think."
Vanessa Pickard
Fifth-year guard
McMaster women's basketball
After some deliberation and a year of training, Pickard travelled to Hamilton in 2015 to pursue a Master’s degree in kinesiology. Academically driven, Pickard took up shop in the laboratory of Maureen MacDonald, conducting exercise physiology research and going on to receive an Ontario Graduate Scholarship.
But she picked up where she left off on the court too, committing to the basketball season and opening her year with four straight wins. After securing an all-star nod in the pre-season Ryerson tournament and a number one national ranking for her new team, tragedy would strike yet again.
“It’s kind of funny, anytime everything is going super well I seem to have a setback. It’s like its too good to be true,” said Pickard. “The second I went down I knew it was my ACL.”
In her first game at Burridge Gym, Pickard tore her ACL, enduring one surgery to replace it and two additional procedures to correct complications in the coming months. In her first practice back from rehab she sustained another concussion, followed by a sprained MCL and a battle with the flu. She questioned if she would ever play again. But still, she endured.
By March of 2017 Pickard had returned to the court and was one of Mac’s leading scorers in their Ontario University Athletics playoff run. While her team did not end up receiving an elusive U Sports championship berth, Pickard travelled to the University of Victoria where she was recognized with the national Tracey Macleod award.
“It was a difficult two years, emotionally and physically, to say the least” said Pickard. “I would have liked to be there for the tournament with my team… but it was a nice consolation prize. To be recognized for that and going through that battle… it meant a lot to me.”
It appears that this season will be the last for Pickard, who will be pursuing a degree in medicine in the fall. It seems fitting that someone who has endured so much will go on to support patients as they brave their own journeys, armed with her own experiences and a perseverance unique to so few.
“I’ll defend my thesis in July, finish up at Mac, and head off to med school,” said Pickard. “It’s a nice little cherry on top I think.”
Cue the standing ovation.
