Gage Grassick delivered a stellar 35-point performance, sinking seven three-pointers, as the top-seeded Saskatchewan Huskies showcased exceptional shooting to defeat the Carleton Ravens 85-66 in the U Sports Women’s Basketball Final 8 championship game at UBC’s War Memorial Gymnasium on Sunday.
Tea DeMong contributed 13 points as the Huskies secured their third national title while preventing Carleton from capturing a third consecutive championship. Andrea Dodig added 12 points, and Courtney Primeau led all players with nine rebounds.
In the men’s final, Renoldo Robinson recorded 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the University of Victoria Vikes to a dominant 82-53 victory over the Calgary Dinos, earning Victoria its first men’s championship in 28 years.
The women’s final was a rematch of last year’s championship, where Carleton edged Saskatchewan 70-67. This time, Grassick, the U Sports Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and tournament MVP, demonstrated her elite skills late in the game, grabbing her own rebound off a missed shot before faking and driving for a layup. She finished with seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Huskies, shooting 48.3% from the field compared to Carleton’s 32.4%, built a 45-31 halftime lead and drained 10 of 24 three-point attempts. Teresa Donato led the Ravens with 24 points.
Carleton had reached the final after defeating Ottawa 84-60 in the semifinals, while Saskatchewan cruised past UBC 85-63. Ottawa later claimed bronze with a 68-61 win over UBC.
Victoria Vikes Capture First Men’s Title in 28 Years
Renoldo Robinson, born four years after the Vikes’ last championship, played a pivotal role in ending the drought, leading Victoria to an emphatic 82-53 win over Calgary in the men’s Final 8 championship. The six-foot-three guard from Montreal expressed his excitement, calling the victory “amazing” and “grateful.”
Geoffrey James contributed 17 points, hitting three three-pointers, while Ethan Boag and Shadynn Smid added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Smid also grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds.
Victoria played without star player Diego Maffia, the program’s all-time scoring leader, who suffered a knee injury earlier in the season. Despite his absence, the Vikes built a commanding 40-23 halftime lead, converting 17 of 43 baskets.
First-year head coach Murphy Burnatowski called the victory a dream come true, praising his team’s resilience after a 20-0 regular season was spoiled by a semifinal loss to Calgary in the Canada West tournament. “They’re the team that ruined our perfect season,” Burnatowski said. “We were laser-focused this entire week.”
The Vikes, who won seven consecutive titles between 1980 and 1986, had not reached the championship game since 2006. Their last title came in 1997 against McMaster.
One key to Victoria’s victory was neutralizing Calgary’s Nate Petrone, the U Sports Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, who led the nation with 484 points in 20 games. Petrone was held scoreless until the second quarter and finished with just 10 points.
Sam Maillet, named U Sports Men’s Defensive Player of the Year, credited the team’s collective effort in shutting down Petrone. “We just kept the pressure up and did the best we could,” he said.
Alan Spoonhunter led Calgary with 20 points, while Dylan Lutes grabbed 15 rebounds. The Dinos, who last won the championship in 2018 before finishing as runners-up in 2019, advanced to the final after an 87-54 semifinal win over UPEI. Victoria earned its spot by upsetting top-seeded Ottawa 89-75. Ottawa later defeated UPEI 86-70 to claim the bronze medal.
Source: Swifteradio.com
