REGULAR SEASON
| Acadia | 17-3 | 22-6 | Bev Greenlaw | |||||
| Cape Breton | 15-5 | 16-8 | Fabian McKenzie | |||||
| St. Mary’s | 12-8 | 13-10 | Scott Munro | |||||
| Memorial | 10-10 | 12-11 | Doug Partridge | |||||
| St. FX | 10-10 | 13-11 | Matt Skinn | |||||
| Dalhousie | 8-12 | 12-15 | Anna Stammberger | |||||
| New Brunswick | 6-14 | 8-16 | Jeff Speedy | |||||
| UPEI | 2-18 | 3-18 | Carly Clarke | |||||
Playoff non-qualifiers:
New Brunswick Varsity Reds: Claire Colborne, Jordanne Holstein, Emma Russell, Megan Corby, Colleen Daly, Samantha Kaminsky, Melissa Foster, Rachel Cleary, Daniele Scime, Samantha Wilson, Katelyn Carver, Alison Chalke, Tamara Tompkins, coach Jeff Speedy
Prince Edward Island Panthers: Jenna Jones, Amy Gough, Danielle MacDonald, Laura Power, Terrilyn Herrick, Nakita Newman, Emily MacEachern, Katie Moore, Katelyn Donahoe, Carly LaFave, Marie-Christine Pare, Julia McKenna, Laura Marcolin, coach Carly Clarke
In the quarterfinals, the 5th-seeded St. Francis Xavier X-Women dumped the 4th-seeded Memorial Sea-Hawks 65-59. StFX came out of the gate flying, racing out to an 11-0 lead in the opening minutes off the backs of a raucous home crowd at the Oland Centre. Jocelyn scored 10 points in the first quarter for the X-Women as StFX came out on top after 10 minutes of play with a 15-10 lead. But Memorial stormed back with a 21-10 run to take a 31-25 lead at half time. The Sea-Hawks held onto the lead throughout the majority of the third quarter, but the X-Women kept pace as they didn’t let the visitors extend their lead higher than five points. Anne Kiberd nailed a key three pointer late in the third quarter to get the X-Women back into the game and give them a close 43-41 advantage after three quarters of play. Vanessa Pickard and Kiley Delong each scored 7 in the fourth quarter for the blue and white who held onto their lead for the entire quarter. The Sea-Hawks pulled to within two points but were unable to overcome the hump. Kiley Delong was chosen player of the game for the X-Women, while Ally Forsey earned the laurels for the Sea-Hawks. Vanessa Pickard paced the X-Women with 17 on 4-14 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 8-9 from the line, 4 boards, 3 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Jocelyn Moore added 14 on 6-14 from the floor, 2-2 from the line, 7 boards and 3 steals. Kiley Delong added 11 on 5-7 from the floor, 1-1 from the line, 8 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals. Kolbi Roper notched 9 on 4-12 from the floor, 1-6 from the line, 7 boards and 2 assists. Anne Kiberd scored 9 on 3-7 from the floor, 2-3 from the arc, 1-2 from the line and 4 boards. Donisha Young added 3 on 1-6 from the floor, 1-2 from the line and 8 boards. Rebecca Sheehan added 2 on 1-10 from the floor, 0-3 from the arc, 6 boards, 2 assists and 4 steals. Kirsten Jones and Brittney Brown were scoreless. Jones nabbed 3 boards. The X-Women hit 24-73 (.329) from the floor, 3-9 from the arc and 14-22 (.636) from the line, while garnering 47 boards, including 14 on the offensive glass, 11 assists, 14 steals, 4 blocks, 19 turnovers and 17 fouls. Alexandria Forsey paced the Sea-Hawks with 22 on 7-14 from the floor, 8-10 from the line and 5 boards. Grace Fishbein added 11 on 4-6 from the floor, 1-1 from the arc, 2-3 from the line and 6 boards. Emily Jameson scored 8 on 4-11 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2 assists and 5 steals. Samantha Kavanagh scored 7 on 3-9 from the floor, 1-1 from the arc, 2 boards and 2 assists. Robyn O’Rielly added 6 on 2-6 from the floor, 2-3 from the arc, 2 boards and 2 assists. Megan Robinson added 3 on 0-5 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 3-5 from the line, 2 boards and 2 steals. Kim Devison added 2, along with 3 steals, while Amanda Martret, Rebecca Amo-Mensah, Keila Pond and Tiffany McMillion were scoreless. Martret, Amo-Mensah and McMillion each nabbed 2 boards. Pond collected 3 boards and 2 assists. The Sea-Hawk shit 20-59 (.339) from the floor, 4-9 (.444) from the arc and 15-21 (.714) from the line, while garnering 27 boards, including 6 on the offensive glass, 11 assists, 12 steals, 3 blocks, 20 turnovers and 18 fouls. The Sea-Hawks (coached by Doug Partridge) also included Marika Vanden Elzen, Cassidy Brothers and Kelly Linehan.
In the other quarterfinal, the 6th-seeded Dalhousie Tigers stunned the 3rd-seeded St. Mary’s Huskies 80-53. The Tigers narrowly outscored the Huskies 13-12 after ten minutes of play. They took command in the second quarter as they cruised to a 39-27 lead at half time. The Huskies were unable to pick away at the Tigers lead as Keisha Brown continued her hot play in the third frame, netting eight points en route to a 16-13 third quarter advantage for the Tigers as Dalhousie upped its lead to 55-40 and then romped. Keisha Brown was chosen player of the game for the Tigers, while Justine Colley earned the laurels for the Huskies. Keisha Brown paced the Tigers with 31 on 11-19 from the floor, 2-4 from the arc, 7-10 from the line, 7 boards and 4 steals. Rachael Harrison added 14 on 4-10 from the floor, 4-9 from the arc, 2-2 from the line, 7 boards and 3 assists. Courtney Thompson notched 10 on 3-11 from the floor, 4-4 from the line, 3 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals. Cailin Crosby added 8 on 4-6 from the floor and 6 boards. Anna Von Maltzahn added 6 on 2-8 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-2 from the line, 8 boards, 2 assists and 3 steals. Tessa Stammberger added 5 on 2-6 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 1-2 from the line 5 boards and 5 assists. Korenda Colley notched 3 on 1-1 from the floor, 1-2 from the line and 3 boards. Hannah Gonzales added 2 and Rebecca Evans 1, while Alex Legge and Rachel Mays were scoreless. Legge dished 2 assists. The Tigers hit 27-62 (.435) from the floor, 6-15 (.400) from the arc and 20-26 (.769) from the line, while garnering 40 boards, including 5 on the offensive glass, 18 assists, 13 steals, 12 turnovers and 21 fouls. Justine Colley paced the Huskies with 20 on 8-26 from the floor, 1-5 from the arc, 3-4 from the line, 6 boards and 2 assists. Susanne Canvin added 11 on 4-11 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 3-9 from the line, 12 boards and 2 blocks. Laura Langille added 5 on 2-2 from the floor, 1-1 from the arc and 7 boards. Lindsay Panchan scored 5 on 2-8 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 5 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals. Rebecca Nuttall added 4 on 2-5 from the floor and 2 boards. Shannon Chapman added 3, along with 2 assists, Stephanie Clarke 3 and Naomie Fequiere 2, while Julie Hatcher, Samantha Martin and Amanda Smith were scoreless. The Huskies hit 21-61 (.344) from the floor, 4-12 from the arc and 7-17 (.412) from the line, while garnering 38 boards, including 10 on the offensive glass, 10 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 22 turnovers and 16 fouls. The Huskies (coached by Scott Munro) also included Charlotte Mathiessen and Jorunn Mathiessen.
In the semis, the top-seeded Acadia Axettes defeated the 5th-seeded St. Francis Xavier X-Women 70-66 to advance their first championship game since 1951. Their winning season almost came to an end as the game teetered back and forth with 10 game lead exchanges over four quarters – five coming in the last frame. The X-Women grabbed a 14-10 first quarter lead held onto a 30-26 lead after one half on the back of Donisha Young. With a 51-48 StFX lead after three quarters, the fourth and final frame became a nail-biter from start to finish as Acadia tied the game at 51 only a minute into the final quarter. The tenth and final lead exchange at 64-62 in favour of the Axettes would be the last with 2:20 remaining in the game. A timely jumper by AUS second team All-Star Stef Chapman gave Acadia a 64-62 lead. Kristy Moore would extend the lead to four with drive to the hoop. In the closing seconds, free throws by Stefanie Chapman and Abbey Duinker’s two free throws with five seconds remaining would solidify the win for the Axettes. Stefanie Chapman was chosen player of the game for the Axettes. Stefanie Chapman paced Acadia with 20 on 7-15 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 5-6 from the line, 4 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals. Kristy Moore added 15 on 6-15 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 3-6 from the line, 12 boards and 4 assists. Emma Duinker added 15 on 6-11 from the floor, 1-2 from the arc, 2-2 from the line and 7 boards. Abbey Duinker notched 8 on 1-10 from the floor, 1-5 from the arc, 5-6 from the line and 5 boards. Lindsay Harris added 6 on 2-5 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-2 from the line, 5 boards and 3 steals. Jasmine Parent notched 4 on 1-9 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-2 from the line and 4 boards. Melissa Gottschall added 2, along with 2 boards, while Rita Leila Sibo and Jacquelyn Caravella were scoreless. Vanessa Pickard paced the X-Women with 17 on 5-14 from the floor, 3-5 from the arc, 4-7 from the line, 2 boards and 3 assists. Donisha Young added 14 on 6-13 from the floor, 2-2 from the line and 3 boards. Jocelyn Moore added 10 on 4-7 from the floor, 2-3 from the arc and 0-1 from the line. Rebecca Sheehan added 8 on 4-12 from the floor, 0-5 from the arc, 2 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. Kolbi Roper added 8 on 3-8 from the floor, 2-4 from the line, 10 boards and 2 steals. Brittney Brown added 3, along with 3 boards, Anne Kiberd 3 and Kirsten Jones 3. Kiley DeLong was scoreless, while nabbing 10 boards and dishing 5 assists. The X-Women hit 24-69 (.348) from the floor, 6-20 (.300) from the arc and 12-20 (.600) from the line, while garnering 32 boards, including 11 on the offensive glass, 15 assists, 9 steals, 4 blocks, 12 turnovers and 17 fouls.
In the other semi, the 2nd-seeded Cape Breton Capers clipped the 6th-seeded Dalhousie Tigers 77-61. Dalhousie played very strong defense and were able to hold the Capers to only 10 points in the first quarter as they led 12-10 after ten minutes of play. The second quarter was much of the same for the Tigers, as they continued to hold the Capers to limited opportunities and force turnovers as they held a 15-12-point edge in the second quarter. The score was 27-22 in favor of the Tigers at the half. But the Caper regrouped and outscored the Tigers 31-12 in the third frame, which included timely three pointers from Tanira McClurkin and Cassie Cooke. Cape Breton took the lead and were up 53-39 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The fourth quarter was closer, but the Capers still held the edge while outscoring the Tigers 24-22. Stephanie Toxopeus was chosen player of the game for the Capers, while Courtney Thompson earned the laurels for the Tigers. Cassie Cooke paced the Capers with 21 on 7-18 from the floor, 4-10 from the arc, 3-6 from the line, 5 boards and 9 assists. Stephanie Toxopeus added 18 on 8-11 from the floor, 2-2 from the line and 14 boards. Jahlica Kirnon notched 12 on 5-22 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 1-2 from the line, 10 boards and 2 steals. Tanira McClurkin scored 11 on 4-8 from the floor, 3-4 from the arc, 3 boards and 2 assists. Jessica Stroud scored 6 on 2-3 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-2 from the line and 2 boards. Vicki Thistle added 2 on 1-4 from the floor and 5 boards. Justine MacNeil added 2, along with 2 boards, Kayla McCarron 2, along with 3 boards and 2 assists, Brittany Hollis 2 and Nicole Works 1, while Sarah MacDonald was scoreless. The Capers hit 29-77 (.377) from the floor, 8-18 (.444) from the arc and 11-18 (.611) from the line, while garnering 46 boards, including 13 on the offensive glass, 17 assists, 6 steals, 2 blocks, 19 turnovers and 15 fouls. Courtney Thompson paced the Tigers with 17 on 6-12 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 5-5 from the line, 2 boards and 2 steals. Keisha Brown added 15 on 6-22 from the floor, 0-3 from the arc, 3-6 from the line and 5 boards. Cailin Crosby added 7 on 2-6 from the floor, 3-7 from the line, 6 boards and 2 steals. Korenda Colley added 7 on 3-5 from the floor, 1-2 from the line and 4 boards. Tessa Stammberger added 6 on 3-4 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 0-1 from the line and 4 boards. Anna Von Maltzahn scored 5 on 2-6 from the floor, 1-2 from the line, 8 boards, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Alex Legge added 4 on 2-5 from the floor, 0-2 from the line, 4 boards and 3 assists. Rachel Harrison and Hannah Gonzales were scoreless. Harrison nabbed 4 boards. The Tigers hit 24-64 (.375) from the floor, 0-9 from the arc and 13-25 (.520) from the line, while garnering 35 boards, including 7 on the offensive glass, 8 assists, 8 steals, 2 blocks, 20 turnovers and 22 fouls.
In the final, the top-seeded Acadia Axettes claim their first AUS banner in 61 years by dumping the 2nd-seeded, three-time defending champion Cape Breton Capers 82-72. A commanding 18-5 Acadia lead with just over two minutes remaining the opening quarter, narrowed to a 20-10 gap. Tying the game at 25 with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, Cape Breton closed the second frame trailing 32-30. Opening the second half with two three-point shots from Abbey Duinker and Lindsay Harris along with a jumper by Emma Duinker, pushed the margin to 10. In the closing minutes of the third, Jahlica Kirnon and Cassie Cooke closed the lead to 58-52. A timely three from Acadia’s Kristy Moore at 8:31 in the final frame created what would become a nearly insurmountable 12-point lead, but the Capers closed the gap to six points with 1:20 remaining in the final half. Controlling the clock and ball, the Axettes pushed the lead to 11 in the remaining minute of the game from the free throw line. Jasmine Parent said “we dreamed about it. We talked about it. We said we were going to win it, but to honestly win it, it’s unbelievable. It’s nice to know that hard work really does pay off. … “We were saying ‘we did it’. This is my last year, I’m all done, and Abbey and I have been playing together since she was 12 years old. Abby, Emma (Duinker), Stef, Lindsay (Harris) and I have all been together for years, years, years. Since way before university, since before high school and this is the best feeling we’ve ever had as teammates.” Abbey Duinker was confident in the team’s chances of hanging on for the win. “Coach said it would be a battle the full way and we have to play the full 40 minutes. We tried to come out strong and make that first hit. The win feels just surreal. We did this for Emma, Jas and Stef – for their last year and we felt it was time to dig in and that we are a team and came through as a team.” Acadia coach Bev Greenlaw said “I wanted this group of kids to win for the sake of this group of kids. This group really deserved this. Every once in a while, you get lucky, if you hang around long enough, to get an amazing group of young people that exceed anyone’s, including our, expectations. This is one of those groups. Sometimes when things go really well, you can get nervous. The mental stuff we have done all year and we prepared. What our kids have done all year long is respond. Everything that is thrown out at them they respond. That is the quintessential thing about this team.” Stefanie Chapman said “this is the best day of my life. It’s unreal. It’s an amazing feeling. … The nerves just kind of went out the door and it was do or die. It came down to all of us hitting big shots at the end.” Emma Duinker said “coach always talks about when we get up early, when you’re doing well and you have momentum, it’s not going to last. Lindsay’s layup at the end of the half ended that momentum and that was a huge factor.” Chapman said Emma Duinker “kind of set the groundwork as far as having the mindset of a championship team. This year we came in and said, ‘we’re taking it and we’re not going to settle for anything less’ and we did.” Greenlaw called it “an improbable year. I don’t think anybody at the first of the year would have picked this group of kids to do anything that they have done. They’re just an amazing group of kids. What our kids have done all year long is respond. That’s the quintessential characteristic of this team, they have character and they respond.” Capers coach Fabian McKenzie said “we didn’t play very hard and that was our downfall. It’s an embarrassment when you don’t compete really hard for 40 minutes in a championship game and we didn’t do that for whatever reason. That’s directed back at me. It’s my fault so, I have to do a lot of soul searching on what happened. We didn’t follow the details. We didn’t play really hard all the time and all it takes is one person not playing hard to destroy your whole game plan. So, ultimately, like I said, it’s something I have to fix. (We) want to represent the uniform a little better. When we put that uniform on it’s supposed to mean something and, you know, some of us haven’t invested enough into it to make it matter. And that’s what I think was the difference. People can say that’s harsh, but I call it as I see it.” Emma Duinker paced the Axettes with 18 on 8-20 from the floor, 2-8 from the arc, 6 boards, 5 assists and 2 steals. Lindsay Harris added 18 on 7-10 from the floor, 3-3 from the arc, 1-2 from the line, 7 boards and 4 assists. Jasmine Parent scored 13 on 6-11 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 1-3 from the line and 6 boards. Stefanie Chapman added 11 on 2-8 from the floor, 7-8 from the line, 6 boards and 2 assists. Abbey Duinker notched 11 on 4-12 from the floor, 1-4 from the arc, 2-4 from the line, 8 boards and 2 blocks. Kristy Moore scored 7 on 3-10 from the floor, 1-4 from the arc, 2 boards and 3 assists. Rita Leila Sibo notched 4 on 1-1 from the floor, 2-2 from the lie, 2 boards and 3 assists. Carlie Macdonald and Melissa Gottschall were scoreless. The Axettes hit 31-73 (.425) from the floor, 7-21 from the arc and 13-19 (.684) from the line, while garnering 37 boards, including 14 on the offensive glass, 18 assists, 6 steals, 3 blocks, 15 turnovers and 19 fouls. Cassie Cooke paced the Capers with 22 on 8-19 from the floor, 1-8 from the arc, 5-6 from the line, 2 assists and 3 steals. Jahlica Kirnon added 19 on 7-23 from the floor, 3-5 from the arc, 2-4 from the line, 4 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals. Stephanie Toxopeus added 11 on 4-8 from the floor, 3-5 from the arc, 6 boards, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Tanira McClurkin scored 8 on 2-4 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 4-4 from the line and 4 boards. Vicki Thistle added 4 on 1-4 from the floor, 2-3 from the line and 13 boards. Nicole Works added 4, Jessica Steed 2, along with 2 boards, and Kayla McCarron 2, along with 3 boards, while Hope Edwards, Brittany Hollins and Sarah MacDonald were scoreless. The Capers hit 24-65 (.369) from the floor, 4-15 (.267) from the arc and 20-26 (.769) from the line, while garnering 37 boards, including 13 on the offensive glass, 7 assists, 12 steals, 4 blocks, 12 turnovers and 16 fouls.
After the season, Matt Skinn left the helm of the St. FX women’s program to become head coach of the Cape Breton men’s program. Skinn had been at the helm for four years. St. FX director of athletics Leo MacPherson announces that Augy Jones will be appointed interim head coach for 2012-13. “I am very pleased and excited to have Augy take the helm of our women’s basketball program,” said MacPherson. “He is an excellent communicator and motivator who will be a great fit for our program, our university and our community.” An X-Men basketball alumnus and Halifax native, Jones served as an assistant coach with the Saint Mary’s men’s basketball program with newly retired Ross Quackenbush for the past four seasons. He also experienced tutelage under another veteran AUS head coach, St FX’s own Steve Konchalski when he assisted the X-Men program for three seasons in the early 2000’s. A national coaching certification program level two coach, Jones has also lent his coaching services to various Basketball Nova Scotia provincial squads, including the U14 boys provincial team in 2010, and regional training center `HRM’ head coach in 2009 (U14) and 2008 (U15). In 2010 he was named the head coach of the Nova Scotia boys Canada Games team for the 2013 Canada Games, and he has instructed at numerous basketball summer camps over the past two decades. Jones has international coaching experience as the head coach for the Bahamas Baptist Community College for the 2005-06 season, in addition to time spent in St. Lucia as the head coach of the VideBoutielle Secondary School from 1992-96, and assistant coach for the St. Lucian national team from 1992-94. “I am so pleased to be reunited with the StFX family as head coach of a very talented X-Women basketball team,” says Jones. “I have dreamed about coaching CIS basketball for many years and am very grateful to Steve Konchalski and Ross Quackenbush for mentoring me as an assistant coach. I have known Leo MacPherson since we played together here at X and am humbled by his trust and confidence in me. This is a very special day for me.” A two-time provincial champion with Queen Elizabeth high school in Halifax, Jones’ intercollegiate playing experience includes five seasons with the StFX X-Men from 1986-91. During his time at X, Augy was named a 1991 AUS all-star and AUS James Bayer award winner, earned team captain distinction and was a 1989 CIS academic all-Canadian. He went on to play two years with the St. Lucian national team from 1994-96 where he was the 1995 national player of the year. Prior to his StFX debut, Jones played for the Canadian junior national team (1989) and gold medal winning Nova Scotia Canada Games team (1987), after playing his early basketball at the community YMCA.
The co-bronze medalist St. Francis Xavier X-Women: Vanessa Pickard; Donisha Young; Jocelyn Moore; Rebecca Sheehan; Kolbi Roper; Brittny Brown; Anne Kiberd; Kirsten Jones; Kiley DeLong; Alex Martell; Spencer Lockhart; Hannah Clark; redshirt Selali Acolatse; redshirt Lia St. Pierre; coach Matthew Skinn
The co-bronze medalist Dalhousie Tigers: Courtney Thompson; Keisha Brown; Cailin Crosby; Korenda Colley; Tessa Stammberger; Anna Von Maltzahn; Alex Legge; Rachel Harrison; Hannah Gonzales; Rachel Mays; Rebecca Evans; Keiko Kobayakawa; Catherine Butts; coach Anna Stammberger
The runner-up Cape Breton Capers: Cassie Cooke; Jahlica Kirnon; Stephanie Toxopeus; Tanira McClurkin; Vicki Thistle; Nicole Works; Jessica Steed; Kayla McCarron; Hope Edwards; Brittany Hollins; Sarah MacDonald; Justine MacNeil; coach Fabian McKenzie; assistant Len Harvey
The champion Acadia Axewomen: Stefanie Chapman; Kristy Moore; Emma Duinker; Abbey Duinker; Lindsay Harris; Jasmine Parent; Melissa Gottschall; Rita Leila Sibo; Jacquelyn Caravella; Lydia Van Vilsteren; Chika Chiekwe; Jessica Boutilier; Maya Macatumpag; Carlie MacDonald; Kathleen McIver; coach Bev Greenlaw; assistant Ken Friedman; assistant David Harris; assistant Fred Cumby; athletic director Kevin Dickie; therapist Jim MacLeod