WBB | Saskatchewan is back as the top dog in the Canada West

Saskatchewan is back as the top dog in the Canada West. 

The No. 1-seeded Huskies beat the defending champion Alberta Pandas 73-42 in the Canada West women’s basketball final Sunday afternoon at the UFV Athletic Centre in Abbotsford, B.C.

Gage Grassick (28 points and five assists) and Carly Ahlstrom (16 points and eight rebounds) provided most of the offence for Saskatchewan, which won three consecutive conference titles (2019, 2020, 2022) before its run was broken by Alberta last year. Tea DeMong was another outstanding Huskie on Sunday, posting an incredible nine steals, seven rebounds and five assists.  

“I’m so impressed with our team,” said Saskatchewan head coach Lisa Thomaidis. “They play with so much grit and heart. I thought the defensive presence and tenacity was the difference-maker. Our offence at times looked great yesterday but other times grinds to a halt a bit, but it is our defence that is our foundation and we build everything off that. Tea was outstanding, they all were. I’m just so happy for our players, they are so deserving of this.”

Claire Signatovich led the way for sixth-seeded Alberta on both ends of the floor, with 13 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.

“You saw the No. 1 team in the country act like the No. 1 team in the country so credit to Saskatchewan, their coaching staff and athletes,” said Alberta head coach Scott Edwards. “I thought they had phenomenal week here in Abbotsford. They were clearly the best team in the tournament. 

“I was proud of our athletes, with four games in five days, to come out and compete the way they did for as long as we could, but I think we saw a little fatigue set in there and the Huskies took advantage of that so good on them.” 

Saskatchewan took control of the game in the second quarter and never looked back enroute to hoisting the Valerie Girsberger Trophy as Canada West champions for the ninth time in school history.

Grassick broke a 15-15 tie with a three-point basket for the last points of the opening quarter. It was also the start of a 15-4 Saskatchewan run that extended in the latter stages of the second. She also capped off the surge with a triple and had eight points in that stretch. The run was temporarily halted when Signatovich converted a turnaround layup with 4:36 to go before halftime to close the Pandas’ deficit to 30-21. 

However, the Huskies held their opponents to just five points the rest of the half to take a 41-26 lead into the mid-game break. Grassick paced Saskatchewan with nine points, as it out-scored Alberta 23-11 in the second. 

Panda star Jenna Harpe opened the third with a triple to make the score 41-29 but the Huskies didn’t allow Alberta to get any closer. Saskatchewan steadily built its advantage, stretching it to 23 points – 60-37 – on a buzzer-beating Maya Flindall three-pointer off the backboard at the end of the period.

The Huskies closed out the triumph by winning the fourth 13-5. 

The rivals opened with a back-and-forth first quarter that saw eight lead changes. Six players scored points for the Pandas, while Ahlstrom and Grassick – with nine points apiece – provided all the offence for the Huskies.

Saskatchewan recorded 21 steals and forced 30 Alberta turnovers in total. The Huskies also won the rebounding battle 51-33.

Both teams will take part in the 2024 U SPORTS Championship presented by the Westin Edmonton. The Pandas-hosted event will take place March 7-10 at the Saville Community Sport Centre. 

“The energy of our alumni and our basketball community will fill the Saville Centre in Edmonton next week,” said Edwards. “It’s going to be a fun event for everyone. It’s great to see so many good Canada West teams that are going to be there to give ourselves a shot to let the rest of the country know how great this conference is.” 

Saskatchewan and Alberta will be joined by Fraser Valley, the Canada West championship tournament host that earned bronze with a triumph over Victoria Sunday.

-Wilson Wong for UFV Athletics