By Natasha White, Staff Contributor
Basketball action Saturday evening at the Dalplex saw the Tigers take on the UPEI Panthers. The ladies’ victory, 66-41, over the last-place islanders, was badly needed to add to their overall points total. The game was a solid warm-up for Sunday’s all important match against UNB.
The Tigers find themselves tied with UNB as the season winds down, and the play-offs near.
The first half of the women’s game showed off the Panthers’ tight defence inside as the Tigers continued to unsuccessfully force the ball under the basket. The normally dominant Dal forwards looked tired Saturday night, and can thank the strong play of guards Anna von Maltzahn (named Player of the Game), Tricia McNeil, and Brooke Sullivan for picking up the slack. The big three down low for Dal – Cailin Crosby, Laurie Girdwood and Leah Girdwood – only managed to get to the line seven times in the 40-minute show. But once there, the ladies shot an impressive 14 for 14.
The difference maker for the ladies Saturday night was easily first-year guard Trish McNeil. Three blocks, eight points and five boards rounded out McNeil’s stats for the game; but it was what didn’t make the stat sheet that told the real story. Skin met floorboards, as McNeil repeatedly sacrificed her body going for the ball, wrestling four steals away from the overpowered Panthers. Running the court for a break away lay up in the final minutes of the game topped off her performance. McNeil, a rookie Haligonian guard who is studying kinesiology, showed real heart and leadership. She and fellow guard Anna Maltzahn led the Tigers to victory.
Judging by the score on the men’s side, 76-58, Dal’s successful Saturday evening match versus the Panthers would appear to have been a blow out. But unfortunately, it was not the best showing by the Tigers. The defence in the first half seemed scattered, with the Tigers committing the cardinal sins of reaching and losing checks. UPEI found the inside on more than one occasion, feeding the ball to Panther star Manock Lual, for 12 of his 14 points.
On fire from the arch, thankfully, was Tiger guard Andrew Sullivan. Sullivan, a fifth-year engineering student, nailed three of his four three pointers in the first five minutes of the game. Sully continued his strong play with a sweet feed down low to big man Joe Schow for a quick two. Schow, who Dal acquired this season from the University of Calgary, racked up a quiet 19 points, going seven for 13 from the field, and five for six from the line. The Tiger’s offence was greatly aided by an aggressive effort on the boards by both Sandy Veit and Will Yengue. The pair combined for 26 of the team’s 47 rebounds.
Dal continued its trend of a sleepy start after the break, scoring only six points in the first six minutes of the second half. With a narrow 10-point lead on the out-skilled Panthers, Tigers’ star Simon Farine decided to take his game up a notch in the third. After working on the refs between play for a few calls, Farine drove to the net three times at the end of the third and found himself, deservedly, at the line each time. Farine once again dominated the score sheet, having one of his best shooting games of the season, earning player of the game kudos.
Saturday night’s victory had Dal only two points behind St. Mary’s. A foreseeable push by the Dal ladies will have them ready, willing and able for what’s to come at the AUS championships this March in Sydney.
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