OKM Stands on Guards for Final but Falls to Mulgrave

Okanagan Mission Huskies Sr. Girls v Mulgrave Titans

December 9, 2023

How They Got Here

OKM opened the ‘No Regrets’ Tournament with a win over Charles best 65-42 and in the semi-final bested Burnaby Central 70-65. Mulgrave defeated Walnut Grove 76-46 en route to a semi-final win over Kelowna 69-62.

Starters

Starting for OKM were Friesen, Burden, Andruchow, Hopf and Hunter. For Mulgrave it was Talib, Naemi, Ruse, Xu and Panahandeh. At the coaching helm for OKM was Meghan Faust and for Mulgrave Claude Leduc.

For the final both teams dressed 10 players with Mulgrave having the height advantage. While OKM topped out at 5’10, Mulgrave had two girls at 6’1” and 6’2” The difference manifested itself by Mulgrave taking the opening tip. But height took a back seat in this thriller. Until the end.

Mulgrave had the fan advantage by playing essentially a home game on the North Shore.

 Q1

From the outset, OKM pressed the Titans and the Titans responded with a press of their own. After a couple of those efforts it appeared that the presses were shelved for the duration. The scoring was opened by OKM’s Burden on a steal and a lay-up. Then her teammate Hopf added 2 free throws for a 6-0 score. It wasn’t until 4 minutes in that Mulgrave scored on 2 free throws. Sandhu drained a three for OKM giving a sign that she could go off at any time (see Q2). Ruse for Mulgrave at 6’2” and Xu at 6’1” were formidable down low but 5’7” Hopf fought her way to the basket and scored. OKM showed signs of their trademark teamwork. They seemed faster, smaller, but thoroughly committed. This showed by OKM creating jump balls by ferocious wrestling. But can Mulgrave bigs shoot? Xu answered that question but hitting 2 threes 15 seconds apart and just missing another 10 seconds later. The momentum in the game was rebalanced if not the score. Q1 ended with a score of 26-16 in favour of OKM.

Shae Sandhu, she of the yellow shoes, took over in Q2. After Mulgrave’s Jenna Talib went lefty and scored on an ambitious layup, Sandhu went full court for 2 of her own. Then she hit a three and time-out was called with the score 36-27 for OKM and 4:51 left in Q2. Sandhu wasn’t finished and her clever play produced 9 points in Q2. To end the quarter, a Mulgrave lay-up spun around the rim and appeared to be falling outside when it somehow spun back into the cylinder and fell. What are the physics of that!?

Halftime score: OKM leading 43-34

Halftime Scary Fun Fact: It started to rain in the Handsworth gym. Not basketball figuratively, but dripping actually. The weather outside, although frightful, was not the cause. Apparently It was condensation. Somebody rushed home and got their dog’s dry-off towels to help keep the floor dry in a couple of spots (think “mi towel, su towel").

Q3 began by OKM committing a rare offensive foul after which Mulgrave’s Talib added 2 on a transition bucket. Meanwhile, from the aerobics department, OKM’s Faith Hunter did stride-jumps in front of a Mulgrave in-bounder, presumably to take passing angles away but, equally, to keep fit. But Mulgrave started to stir. They were more deliberate in their half-court sets and began closing the gap in the score. The OKM lead was down to 7 and then to 4 but bounced back to 8 late in Q3. OKM’s fast guards worked their magic on Mulgrave’s sometimes ponderous defence. Score was OKM 58 and Mulgrave 50 at the end of Q3.

Xu hit a 3 to almost halve the lead but OKM made 2 free throws. It then became the Xu vs. Hopf show. No problem, says Xu, here is another three. But it was immediately matched by OKM. No, no says Lucy Xu for Mulgrave as she offsets a Hopf layup by another three.

Sandhu had been resting on the bench but came back on the floor with 6:30 to go. OKM executed a beautiful team basket but Mulgrave answered with a three. OKM’s lead is 6. Ruse for the Titans makes a tough basket down low as nothing will come easy there. Talib and Ruse both score for Mulgrave and the game is tied for the first time with 3:07 left. The quickness of the OKM guards is now on full display against the Mulgrave bigs. A fumbled ball led to a chain of fumbles and clutches stretching halfway down the court until Mulgrave took possession. They then went down low to Ruse who was fouled but missed both shots. She made up for it, however, with a rebound and a 2. Mulgrave was ahead by 2 with 2:05 remaining. Then a pass to Mulgrave’s Panahandeh under the basket and the lead is at 4. But the Huskies’ Faith Hunter, lurking at the arc, found the ball in her hands and launched a three. Mulgrave’s lead is 1. OKM’s Payton Friesen, who would later be awarded a Quinn  Keast Foundation ‘No Regrets’ Tournament scholarship, went to the foul line and made one of two. The game is tied with 55 seconds left. Mulgrave’s attempt to go low to Ruse did not succeed and a foul against OKM ensued but the shots were not made. Mulgrave then had a chance to win after Talib made an “and-1” layup with 13.1 seconds to go. She missed the free throw but Mulgrave secured the rebound. A time-out was called with 7.5 seconds to go. After the inbound Xu scored a 2 and the buzzer went.

This was as entertaining a game as you would ever want to see. Both teams showed their strengths and, at times, their weaknesses. They leaned on the former and managed the latter to produce a true nailbiter in the girls' championship game of the 2023 ‘No Regrets’ Tournament. Thanks to OKM for making the trip and becoming, hopefully, a regular. Thanks to Mulgrave for bravely persisting and congratulations to them on the win. The sportsmanship of these two teams was outstanding.

Final Score: Mulgrave 76, OKM 72

Player of the Game: Mulgrave’s Eva Ruse

High Scorers: Talib and Ruse for Mulgrave with 25 each; Hopf for OKM with 25