Facing tough match-ups with newfound confidence in the playoffs, the Marauders women's basketball team has a promising future ahead of them
The McMaster University women's basketball team's journey through the playoffs was a clear display of the team’s potential to stand toe-to-toe with the country's best. The team was faced with tough match-ups, particularly in their quarterfinal match against the Carleton University Ravens, the top team in the Ontario University Athletics and U Sports, on Feb. 24.
Jenna Button, a player on the women's basketball team, highlighted their increase in confidence throughout the season, a critical factor in their ability to compete at the highest level.
"I truly believe that, even though we are such a young team. We have incredible athletes that put in the work to be able to compete with the top teams in the country. I think [the team’s confidence] will come with a little bit more experience," said Button.
I truly believe that, even though we are such a young team. We have incredible athletes that put in the work to be able to compete with the top teams in the country. I think [the team’s confidence] will come with a little bit more experience.
Jenna Button, Marauders women's basketball team
This faith was not misplaced, as the Marauders demonstrated their capabilities in the tightly contested playoff run against the Ravens.
“They’re a great team. . .So that was obviously a huge challenge for us. Going up to Ottawa as well, it’s a tough gym to play in," said Button.
Despite the odds, the Marauders approached the game with determination.
"We were the underdogs in that game; we had nothing to lose, and we did. We frickin’ gave them a run for their money. . .We stuck with them for three quarters, and then, unfortunately, things didn’t go our way in the fourth quarter," said Button.
We were the underdogs in that game; we had nothing to lose, and we did. We frickin’ gave them a run for their money. . .We stuck with them for three quarters, and then, unfortunately, things didn’t go our way in the fourth quarter.
Jenna Button, Marauders women's basketball team
The 77-94 defeat was a mix of disappointment and pride for the team. However, the season’s overall success and 16-8 record was a testament to the team's resilience and their solid foundation for the future.
Especially in their victory against Wilfrid Laurier University and the hard-fought game against Carleton, the Marauder’s playoff performance highlighted their potential and the bright future that lies ahead.
As they continue to grow and gain more experience, their faith in their ability to compete with any team in the country only strengthens, promising thrilling seasons to come for the women's basketball team.
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.
With the 2022-2023 season finished and five key seniors graduating, the women's basketball team are able to reflect on their previous season’s accomplishments and share where they hope to go next
The start of the 2022-2023 season saw the McMaster University women’s basketball team struggle. They conceded two losses and seemed to struggle in finishing out games.
As the season rolled along, the team began to pick up form. They took big wins against big teams and showed their commanding nature against teams such as the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks and Nippising Lakers with blow-out wins.
“Overall it was such a great season working with this team, there are so many great vets and so many great younger players. We were so cohesive, and we were so hungry to achieve the same goals,” said Arianne Soriano, a senior point guard.
“Overall it was such a great season working with this team, there are so many great vets and so many great younger players. We were so cohesive, and we were so hungry to achieve the same goals,”
Arianne Soriano, Senior Point Guard
The team managed to finish the season with a 17 win and six loss record and were able to finish first in the Ontario University Athletics’ central division. With a first round bye-week, the Marauders faced the Guelph Gryphons in the Critelli Cup quarter finals.
After losing to the Gryphons early in their season, the Marauders looked to show their improved run of form in the quarterfinals. Facing off for a second time, this time with home court advantage, the Marauders would need to push full throttle to get a win.
The Marauders won the game with a score of 70-63 and were spurred onto this victory with many Marauder players stepping up. Big name players such as Sarah Gates and Jenna Button lead the team in scoring, while Arianne Soriano led in rebounds.
The win over Guelph led the team to face off against the Carleton Ravens, this time facing their opponent on the road. Having lost to the Ravens in just the second game of their season, the Marauders knew this game would be a tough matchup.
“We started preparing to play against Carelton as soon as possible, as soon as we knew we were facing them,” explained Soriano.
“This has been a long journey, but it's been an amazing one, and I cherish every moment I spend with my team,”
Arianne Soriano, Senior Point Guard
The Marauders ultimately lost to the Ravens, ending their playoff run. The Ravens were able to mount a lead early, finishing the first quarter nine points above the Marauders. Despite a huge third quarter push, the Marauders were unable to complete a comeback and the game ended 69-55 in favor of the Ravens, who would go on to win the OUA championship, and who just advanced to the U Sports national championship game as of Mar. 11.
“It felt like we were a bit nervous and weren’t as confident in ourselves in the offensive we can run. Defensive wise we were able to get as many stops as we could, we just weren’t getting our shots in,” said Soriano.
With the Marauders season ending in an unfortunate way, the graduation of five seniors packs an extra punch. Sarah Gates — the 2022-2023 national women’s player of the year — Clare Sharkey, Arianne Soriano, Pietra Kamstra and Mia Spadafora are the five seniors planning on graduating. Four of the five were members of the 2018-2019 national championship team.
“This has been a long journey, but it's been an amazing one, and I cherish every moment I spend with my team,” explained Soriano.
All five play vital roles within the team, and their departure in the next year will change the shape of the team drastically.
Despite falling short of the Cartelli Cup, two seniors were recognized by the OUA. Sarah Gates earned the OUA’s Most Valuable Player title and Arianne Soriano earned the Joy Bellinger award, highlighting outstanding service to the sport and to university athletics.
“The award would be nothing without my teammates and the environment I have around me, they empower me so much to want to do more in the Mac community whether it's on the team or off the team,” said Soriano.
The Marauders will look to rebuild coming into next season and will certainly learn from veteran players who have come before them. Maintaining the standard set by the highly successful graduating class leaves a tall task ahead.
Having won 13 of their last 14 OUA games, the team has successfully made their way into the national top 10 rankings
By: Ramiz Khan, Contributor
The McMaster University women's basketball team is making a strong case for the title of the Ontario University Athletics Central division with a commanding 14 and four record on the year. They've now won 13 out of their last 14 games regular season games, taking down several top teams along the way, including the Toronto Metropolitan University Bold, the Brock University Badgers and the Western University Mustangs.
The secret to the team success lies in the dynamic play of forward Sarah Gates, who leads the entire country with a whopping average of 26.1 points per game. The team defense has also been a force to be reckoned with, allowing just 62.1 opponent points per game.
As the regular season nears its end with only a few games remaining, the team is gearing up for a deep playoff run. They hope to match the glory of their 2019 national championship season in what will be the final year for several players who were on that 2019 roster.
With a fairly comfortable lead in the division and a roster filled with talented players, the team looks poised for another deep run come playoff season. After starting the season with three losses and only one win, they managed to completely flip the script, putting themselves in a position for success.
“I think just working together and sticking through it as a unit. We play our best basketball and we're all having fun and making the most of our connections on the team, and it really shows, and that's what we've been doing, so it's been pretty awesome,” said Cassie Joli-Couer, a forward for the team.
“I think just working together and sticking through it as a unit. We play our best basketball and we're all having fun and making the most of our connections on the team, and it really shows, and that's what we've been doing, so it's been pretty awesome.”
Cassie Joli-Couer, Women's Basketball Team
Having now won nine games in a row, tying the Carleton University Ravens for the longest active streak in the OUA, the team has been rolling. Though there were several potential turning points for the team to prove themselves as a threat, one of the biggest came against the Brock Badgers on Jan. 18.
The Badgers, a traditionally strong team who currently hold a record of 10 wins and eight losses, ended the Marauders season last year. In their first rematch on Nov. 19, the Marauders won by a final tally of 66 to 53, but their second matchup was the game to watch as McMaster blew them out by a final score of 71 to 49.
“That was a great team win. We definitely had a little bit of a grudge, I would say, from last year that we were going in for the win no matter what. I think it was just another win to add to the books, and we're going to keep working hard and move forward. . . We're just going to keep working hard,” explained Joli-Couer.
The team holds a great mix of talent to really keep the flow of play moving over the course of the season. One can look to the league stats leaders to find players like Sarah Gates leading the league in PPG, to Deanna Mataseje and Jenna Button leading in assist to turnover ratio or Mia Spadafora leading the OUA in three point percentage, shooting nearly five percent more efficiently then the next closest player. However, the team dynamic stems much further than that.
“When we work together and we're creating opportunities for one another, we're scoring more often, and it's like translating into wins and better stat lines. There's always room for improvement,” said Joli-Couer.
With just one more win, McMaster can clinch a division title. They’ll take on the University of Toronto University Varsity Blues on Feb. 10 and Feb. 18, the TMU Bold on Feb. 11 and the Waterloo University Warriors on Feb. 17. The Bold sit second in the central division, while the Warriors lead the west. The Varsity Blues haven’t had the same kind of success, with a record of four wins and 15 losses so far.
The playoffs are set to begin on Feb. 22.
Gates sets a new single-game scoring record to help the Marauders to their first home win of the season
The women’s basketball team played their first home game of the year on Nov. 11, defeating the York Lions 89-81. Backed by a record-setting 47 point night from senior guard Sarah Gates, the maroon and grey team snuffed out a late Lions rally and picked up their first win of the season.
Heading into the game, the Marauders were searching to fill their win column after two losses on their Ottawa road trip at the beginning of the year. The team’s narrow 66-68 defeat against the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Nov. 5 was followed up a day later with a blowout to the Carleton Ravens. On a 30.3 per cent field goal efficiency, including only nine out of 39 made attempts from beyond the arc, the McMaster University team fell to the Ravens 57-73.
Against York, the team was quick to pick up their offense, spearheaded by an eight point rally from Gates to cut ahead 23-13 at the end of the first. Lauren Golding and Cyanna King were dominant for the Lions, scoring 22 of their combined 24 second quarter points on nine for 12 shooting. Even with their efforts, the Marauders defense remained sharp, forcing six turnovers that led to eight converted points in the quarter.
With 20 points on eight for 11 shots, Gates helped put McMaster up 46-37 entering the half. Arianne Soriano added 12 points and two three pointers to aid the Marauders’ scoring charge.
Coming out of the break, the Lions struggled heavily from the field, missing 16 of their 21 shot attempts. The cold stretch allowed McMaster to take firm control of the contest, jumping out in front 69-48 after a difficult 11-point quarter from York.
In the final quarter, Gates absolutely commanded the court. She would net four three pointers while scoring McMaster’s last 18 points to finish the game.
“Our team feels like we’ve been together for years sometimes . . . When things click and we’re all having fun, it just feels like fun basketball. In those moments for everyone it just feels automatic,” said Gates.
“Our team feels like we’ve been together for years sometimes . . . When things click and we’re all having fun, it just feels like fun basketball. In those moments for everyone it just feels automatic."
Sarah Gates, SENIOR GUARD
Despite York’s 33 point comeback attempt in the fourth, the Marauders emerged victorious 89-81. Although they were outrebounded 30-44, McMaster’s 15 steals and consistent ball pressure were enough to limit the Lion’s end of game surge.
In a historic night, Gates finished the game with 47 points overall, topping her former career-high of 38 points set last year against Guelph on Nov. 13. The performance set a new single-game scoring record for McMaster, beating out Lindsay Degroot’s previous high of 38 points from 2008.
Averaging a league-best 30.8 points per game on a 54.1 per cent field goal percentage, the three-time Ontario University Athletics all-star has been sensational for the Marauders early on in the campaign. With this season marking Gates’ final year on the team, an extra championship title would be the perfect addition to her McMaster legacy.
“I want to win another national championship . . . I believe that our team has the potential to do it. We just gotta keep growing, keep learning from our mistakes throughout the season so we can peak at the right time,” said Gates.
“I want to win another national championship . . . I believe that our team has the potential to do it. We just gotta keep growing, keep learning from our mistakes throughout the season so we can peak at the right time.”
Sarah Gates, SENIOR GUARD
Pitching in with an all-around performance, Soriano finished with a line of 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Her game-high four steals helped to lock up the Lion’s ball handlers, who committed 23 turnovers on the night.
On the opposition’s side, Golding finished the game with a line of 31 points and 10 rebounds. Also securing a double-double, King chipped in with 24 points while pulling down 16 rebounds for the Lions.
With their win against York, the Marauders showcased their abilities as one of the league’s best offensive teams. Making the second most threes per game while maintaining the third best field goal percentage, McMaster’s efficiency and outside shooting presence has played a key role in their early season scoring successes.
Going forward, the team can continue to work on the defensive end of the ball. Ranking third last in personal fouls and points allowed per game, improvement in these areas will make the Marauders a true force in the league and complement their elite offensive talent led by Gates’ devastating scoring abilities.
C/O Pixabay
Marauders work together to raise awareness and funding for Think Pink Breast Cancer Fundraiser
Every year, around the end of January, the Marauders have gathered to spread awareness for Think Pink Breast Cancer initiatives. Not only do they spread awareness through social media accounts, but they also prompt the wider public to donate to the initiative.
In a small description on the donations website, the Marauders explained their cause and described it as a yearly ritual.
“Every year, Marauder student-athletes come together for Think Pink, raising funds for breast cancer research, education and advocacy,” stated the iFundMac donations page.
From Jan. 24 to Jan. 28, the Athletics and Recreation will change their colors from maroon to pink to raise awareness for the cause. “Throughout the week, Marauder’s will Think Pink and bring together students, staff, and community members in support of an important cause and inspire hope for the future,” stated the iFundMac website.
The McMaster Alumni Community has pledged that all funds raised through the campaign will be donated to Juravinski Cancer Center.
Throughout the past week, Marauders did not only take to social media to spread awareness and gather the donations for Think Pink, but they have also conducted some in-person activities on campus that were broadcasted live. On Jan. 26 four student athletes — Victoria DiDomenico, Arianne Soriano, Deanna Mataseje and Jasmine Lewis — volunteered at the Think Pink event and have donated their hair for the cause.
To broaden this initiative, the Marauders also had the Director of Athletics and Recreation, Shawn Burt, speak about his experiences with cancer and why Think Pink is so important.
“I, like so many in this community, unfortunately have a close connection to this cause. Nothing happens without great people stepping up and getting behind the cause,” said Burt
“I, like so many in this community, unfortunately have a close connection to this cause. Nothing happens without great people stepping up and getting behind the cause."
Shawn Burt, Director of Athletics and Recreation
As of Jan. 28, the Athletes Care donation website for Think Pink has raised $810. Their goal is to reach $2000.
While we don’t have a cure for cancer, it is important to raise awareness for the Think Pink cause, as millions go through the struggles of Breast Cancer on a yearly basis. The McMaster Marauders initiative may only be on a yearly basis, but the support from the community is a great way way to help.
McMaster Athletes Care Think Pink is a yearly fundraiser. More information and how to donate can be found at the official iFundMac donation platform.
C/O Wikimedia, Keith Allison
cw: death
Kobe Bryant’s impact on Marauders basketball athletes is still strong two years after his passing
Jan. 26, 2020, it seemed like a normal day. Until it wasn’t.
At 9:47 a.m. in Calabasas, California, the police department received an emergency call about a helicopter crash into the mountainside. It was shortly after 10:00 a.m. that phones would start buzzing around the globe.
The world would soon learn that the helicopter belonged to National Basketball Association legend Kobe Bryant. On the helicopter were nine people, including Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and youth basketball sensation Gianna Bryant, famed college baseball coach John Altobelli and six others, all of whom would pass away on impact from the crash.
Fans worldwide mourned the lost NBA legend. Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months.
Bryant, an NBA hall of famer, was an 18-time all-star, 15-time all-NBA recipient, five-time NBA champion and was the 2007-2008 NBA MVP. He even went on to hold the position of third all-time in points scored, although he now holds the position of fourth. Despite all of his success on the court, it was his mentality that drew the respect of millions — the Mamba Mentality.
Bryant’s unmatched work ethic was well documented and countless athletes looked up to him for that very reason, including several McMaster athletes. As the two-year anniversary of his death passes, many students, including Mia Spadafora of the women’s basketball team, still look back on the day.
“I’ll never forget going to morning practice [on] Monday morning . . . No one wanted to talk about it, no one wanted to believe that it was true. It was one of those things that if you don’t say it [then] it isn’t true and if we don’t talk about it [then] it didn’t happen,” said Spadafora.
"No one wanted to talk about it, no one wanted to believe that it was true. It was one of those things that if you don’t say it [then] it isn’t true and if we don’t talk about it [then] it didn’t happen."
Mia Spadafora, Women's Basketball Team
It wasn’t an easy time for any basketball fan. His passing wasn’t something that wouldn't pass over quickly as he was such an idol and role model for many.
“It was heartbreaking because it felt like one of those things that never ended. This horrible day happened and you’re taking it with you. You’re trying to embody and encompass Kobe Bryant every time you’re stepping on the court,” explained Spadafora.
Point guard Arianne Soriano also felt that this news was a big shock for the team. It’s something she is still unable to let go of years later.
“You can tell even though it was just through messages that everyone was pretty upset by the news. It definitely was a game changer and it opened our eyes as a team. I still carry that news with me especially with the anniversary [having recently passed],” said Soriano.
The impact that Bryant had on the individuals and on their team were significant. He touched the lives of many people and inspired both women to continue pushing the limits.
“Maybe I’m not the best player on the team, but the work ethic is there. I’m a team player and that leadership style is there. That’s something he’s taught me . . . When I looked at Kobe Bryant I saw his leadership and his commitment to people on and off the court. As I noticed his attachment to women’s basketball, that was the extra inspiration I needed,” explained Spadafora.
Several members of the team were able to embrace the legacy that Kobe left behind, using it as a method of motive rather than simply mourning his loss.
“The death of Kobe was really inspirational because it reminded us of the kind of player Kobe was. He’s the one that influenced Mamba Mentality. He’d have a three hour practice, for example, and would stay afterwards putting up extra shots, so that was the type of mentality that made us go harder that year . . . He made me want to put more work in,” Said Soriano
Bryant was an especially large figure for women in basketball. With five daughters of his own, he would quickly become an ambassador for women’s basketball, spurring interest through his own daughter, Gianna Bryant. This was just another reason why he meant such a great deal to the members of McMaster’s women’s basketball team.
“He was a huge ambassador for women’s sports, especially women’s basketball. With his daughter Gianna, he put in so much work after his career just to put more attention towards women’s basketball,” explained Soriano.
“He was a huge ambassador for women’s sports, especially women’s basketball. With his daughter Gianna, he put in so much work after his career just to put more attention towards women’s basketball."
Arianne Soriano, Women's Basketball Team
Spadafora not only felt a significant impact from Kobe on women’s basketball, but also from Gianna Bryant, despite just being 13 years old at the time of her passing.
“It breaks my heart to think about Gigi, his daughter, and how he was paving the way to put women at that standard that we never thought we’d be at in sport. I always think about where she would be now,” said Spadafora.
Despite being two years removed, it’s still a difficult pill for many to swallow. Bryant was always viewed as much more than just an athlete and to have such a tragic ending is why so many people have such a hard time moving on from his passing.
“It feels like a lot longer. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone . . . It really makes you realize how [you have to] play every game like it’s [going to] be your last because you never know. Playing basketball really is a privilege,” said Soriano.
“It feels like a lot longer. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone . . . It really makes you realize how [you have to] play every game like it’s [going to] be your last because you never know. Playing basketball really is a privilege.”
Arianne Soriano, Women's Basketball Team
Bryant might not be with us any longer, but the mentality that he lived for and passed on to so many will live on forever. Go chase that lifelong goal. Go put in the work and do what it takes. Never stop. Be like Kobe. Be legendary.
Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.
The night of April 2 was the 95th Annual McMaster Athletic Awards Ceremony to celebrate Marauder excellence. The ceremony celebrated McMaster athletes and staff contributions on and off the court over the past year.
The highest honour, the McMaster Athletes of the Year, was awarded to Max Turek (Ivor Wynne Award) of the cross country team, and Linnaea Harper (Therese Quigley Award) of the women’s basketball team. Both led their team to Ontario University Athletics titles, and Harper went one step further, helping bring home the U Sports title for her team.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvxZ6ElAhq6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Graduating seniors Hilary Hanaka, starting guard of the women’s basketball team, and Andrew Richards, men's volleyball’s starting left side, took home the outstanding graduating student-athlete awards, the Dr. Edna Guest and Dr. Ray Johnson Awards, respectively.
Both athletes have displayed outstanding on- and off-court excellence. Richards and Hanaka had already been recognized by U Sports for their community work this season, so it was only fitting that they took home this honour as well.
McMaster's Rookies of the Year award the Mel and Marilyn Hawkrigg Award, was given to lacrosse player Mitch Pellarin and wrestler Ligaya Stinellis. Stinellis captured a silver medal in the 48kg weight class in her first trip to the OUA Championships, and made McMaster history by becoming the first Marauder woman to win the conference’s Rookie of the Year award.
Pellarin ended the season as McMaster’s leading scorer with 19 goals and 11 assists, which was the highest scoring total among rookies in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association.
Claudia Continenza, of the women’s soccer team, took home the Les Prince Award for her community service work, and women's hockey president and student therapist Laura Gelowitz won the Bruce Cochrane award for her service to the Athletics Department.
The Joyce Wignall Award, given to a team in recognition of their charitable contributions as a group, was given to the McMaster men’s rugby team for their various charitable efforts throughout the year.
Last night #MarauderNation gathered to celebrate a fantastic year full of great accomplishments by our student-athletes, both on and off the field. Here’s a recap of how the night went down! Thanks to all that attended! 🎉
.
.
.#GoMacGo pic.twitter.com/z8JfEMFShd— McMaster Marauders (@McMasterSports) April 3, 2019
The night of celebrating excellence was capped off by awarding 51 team MVPs from McMaster's sport teams at the varsity and club level, student-athletes who have competed for four seasons while maintaining good academic standing and coaches who have reached benchmarks in their years of service.
All in all, whether athletes had their their season cut short, or managed to come out on top as provincial or national champions, the annual Awards Ceremony once again rightfully honoured the hard work put in by all the various members of the Marauders athletic community over the past year.
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The McMaster men’s volleyball team is heading to the Ontario University Athletics volleyball semifinals for the 15th-straight season. After defeating the York University Lions 3-1 in the OUA quarter-finals, the Marauders are heading into the Final Four ranked fifth in the nation.
Several Marauders were also honoured with OUA recognition, with outside hitter Matt Passalent taking home the highest honour, OUA West Player of the Year. Fifth-year Andrew Richards took home the Dale Iwanoczko Award for his work off the court. Passalent and Richards were both named First Team All-Stars, while Craig Ireland was named to the Second Team. First-year middle Tyler Pavelic’s season was recognized with a spot on the All-Rookie team.
With six straight OUA titles, the journey to their seventh begins this weekend when the Marauders face the University of Windsor Lancers in a semi-final match-up. If they win, they will go on to play in the final game for the OUA Forsyth Cup. The game will be on Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. at Queen’s University.
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After defeating the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees in the OUA finals to capture the Critelli Cup, the Marauders are heading to Ryerson University to play in the U Sports National Championships for the second-straight season. With the No. 2 seed in the tournament, the Marauders will face the No. 7 Concordia University Stingers.
Led by Critelli Cup game MVP Hilary Hanaka, the Marauders hope to see a different result in this year's National Championships compared to last year. The ladies headed out to Regina last year where they unfortunately did not finish where they wanted to. Losing in the first round to McGill University, the Marauders were not prepared for the level of play, but are hoping to see different results this time around.
Already defeating the Carleton University Ravens during the 2019 OUA semi-finals, who were also the 2018 U Sports Champions, the idea of going straight to the top does not seem so far off. Tip-off time is at 12 p.m. Thursday, March 7.
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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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