| W. SEMI (BC/Alta): Vancouver Eilers d’d Calgary Maxwells 74-52; 73-53 (Total: 147-105) W. SEMI (Sask): Saskatoon Adilman Aces d’d Regina Shooting Stars 54-28; 2-0 default (2g-0) E. FINAL: Toronto Maple Leafs d’d Hamilton Zion United 62-60; 64-57 (Total: 126-117) W. FINAL: Vancouver Eilers d’d Saskatoon Adilman Aces 69-40; 71-43 (2g-0) CANADIAN TITLE: Vancouver Eilers d’d Toronto Maple Leafs 58-55; 64-39; 50-44 (3g-0) |
In the Ontario and Eastern final, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Hamilton Zion United 62-60; 64-57 (Total: 126-117). The pair were the only two teams in the East who declared themselves senior A eligible in 1956. …………………………………………………… In game one, Toronto’s double low post offence was instrumental in garnering a 62-60 win as 6-3 Terry Jones and 6-1 Mary MacDonald each netted 20 points. Toronto took a 19-9 lead after one quarter before Zion United rallied to knot the score at 26 at the half. The lead changed hands eight times in the second half with Hamilton holding the biggest edge at three points. Defensive stalwart Mary Barnett added 10. Jo Parkinson paced Hamilton with 16. Jean Smithers added 10. …………………………………………………… In game two, Toronto prevailed 64-57 as Mary MacDonald scored 16. Helen Call added 13, Terry Jones 11 and Mary Barnett 10.
In the Western semis, the Vancouver Eilers defeated the Calgary Maxwells 74-52; 73-53 (Total: 147-105). …………………………………………………… In game one, Vancouver torched Calgary 74-52 as McDermott scored 18, Topley 17, Robinson 14, Lawson 13, Whyte 5, Walker 4, Gordon 2 and Gibson 1. Currie led the Maxwells with 11. Simpson added 10, McFarland 10, Gillespie 6, Horeak 5, French 3, Turner 3, Smith 2, Chanell 1 and Ashdown 1. …………………………………………………… In game two, Vancouver prevailed 73-53 as Pat Lawson scored 24, Shirley Topley 14, Walker 12, Nora McDermott 11, Robinson 7 and Whyte 5, while Gibson and Gordon were scoreless. Darlene Currie led the Maxwells with 14. Connie Horeak added 13, Simpson 8, MacFarlane 8, Gillespie 7 and Ashdown 2, while Turner, Channel, Smith and French were scoreless.
In the Western semis and Saskatchewan finals, the Saskatoon Adilman Aces defeated the Regina Shooting Stars 54-28; 2-0 default (2g-0). …………………………………………………… In game one, the Aces dusted the Shooting Stars 54-28 as Audrey Campbell scored 16, Lena Fior 10, Donaldson 10, Arlene Slowchek 9, Diane Thompson 6 and Mackay 3, while Jenkin and Williams were scoreless. Mabel Richardson led Regina with 8. Lil Ross added 6, Malesh 4, Latimer 4, Ilimbeault 2, Turner 2 and Adle 2, while McBoyle and McEachern were scoreless. …………………………………………………… In game two, the Shooting Stars defaulted.
In the Western finals, the Vancouver Eilers defeated the Saskatoon Adilman Aces 69-40; 71-43 (2g-0). …………………………………………………… In game one, Vancouver prevailed 69-40 as Pat Lawson scored 17, Nora McDermott 14, Shirley Topley 14, Heather Walker 10, Eleanor Whyte 6, Zoe Robinson 4 and Mavis Gordon 4, while Bev Gibson was scoreless. Arlene Slowchek led the Aces with 8. Diane Thompson added 6, Joan Benson 6, Judy Holt 4, Henrietta Mackay 4, Lena Fior 4, Judy Jenkin 4, Edna Donaldson 2 and Audrey Campbell 2, while Joan Williams was scoreless. The Eilers led 18-4 after one quarter and 32-14 at the half. …………………………………………………… In game two, the Eilers pounded the Aces 71-43 as Shirley Topley scored 12, Nora McDermott 12, Heather Walker 11, Zoe Robinson 11, Pat Lawson 7, Eleanor Whyte 6 and Mavis Gordon 1, while Bev Gibson was scoreless. Joan Benson led the Aces with 12. Lena Fior added 9, Judy Holt 5, Arlene Slowchek 5, Diane Thompson 4, Edna Donaldson 4 and Henrietta Mackay 4, while Judy Jenkin, Joan Williams and Audrey Campbell were scoreless.
In the Canadian finals, held in Toronto, Vancouver Eilers d’d Toronto Maple Leafs 58-55; 64-39; 50-44 (3g-0).
In game one, the Vancouver Eilers pulled out a 58-55 win. Toronto opened the scoring with a bucket by Shirley Niven from the corner. But Shirley Topley and Patricia Lawson promptly got the Eilers on track as they built a 16-7 lead after one quarter. They led 34-26 at the half and 50-35 after three quarters before Terry Jones and Mary Macdonald rallied the Maple Leafs with hook shots in the paint. Toronto roared back to within three but Vancouver froze the ball for the last two minutes to play to ice the win. Vancouver dominated the boards and repeatedly heaved passes up court for uncontested layups. Topley led Vancouver with 18. Eleanor Whyte added 11, Nora McDermott 6, Beverley Gibson 2, Mavis Gordon 0, Zoe Robinson 3, Pat Lawson 4 and Heather Walker 4. Mary Macdonald paced Toronto with 19. Shirley Niven added 13, Terry Jones 11, Julie Kirkwood 4 and Mary Barnett 4.
In game two, Vancouver dominated as they strode to a 64-39 victory despite the fact that they were only playing their eighth game of the season. But unlike game one, in which Vancouver appeared tired from the train ride across the country, the Eilers looked fresh and dominant. They hit 20-60 from the floor, while Toronto was 16-78. The Eilers out-rebounded Toronto 70-40. Coach Gordie McDonald noted that his troops were relatively untested. “Since Victoria failed to raise a team this season, Eilers became the only senior women’s team in British Columbia. We played one exhibition against a Portland, Oregon team and four in the Western Canada playoffs, two each against Calgary and Saskatoon. The rest of the season we just practiced.” The Eilers led 17-8; 34-18 and 50-25 at the quarters. Pat Lawson paced the Eilers with 16. Nora McDermott added 15, Heather Walker 10, Shirley Topley 8, Beverley Gibson 2, Mavis Gordon 0, Zoe Robinson 5 and Eleanor Whyte 6. Mary MacDonald led Toronto with 9. Shirley Nevin added 7, Helen Call 5, Mary Barnett 6, Scholdak 0, Terry Jones 3, Petrichan 4, Grace Barnett 0 and Julie Kirkwood 4.
In game three, Vancouver closed out the series with a 50-44 win. The first quarter was tight as coach Dick Patterson’s troops scrapped to an early lead before the Eilers Heather Walker and Shirley Topley hit hoops to give Vancouver a 19-13 lead after a quarter. Toronto rallied to knot the score at 22 on buckets by Julie Kirkwood, Helen Call and Shirley Niven and then took the lead on a Mary Barnett free throw. The Maple Leafs led 28-25 at the half. But Pat Lawson hit eight consecutive points as Vancouver took the lead in the third quarter and then stretched the margin to 41-32 after the third frame. Helen Call hit four buckets from the corner as Toronto fought back in the fourth frame, trimming the margin to 47-44. But Lawson countered with a transition layup and Shirley Topley hi a free throw to ice the win. Pat Lawson paced Vancouver with 18. Shirley Topley added 10, Beverley Gibson 0, Mavis Gordon 0, Nora McDermott 6, Zoe Robinson 2, Heather Walker 9 and Whyte 5. Helen Call led Toronto with 15. Shirley Niven added 11, Scholdak 0, Grace Barnett 0, Jones 2, Petrichan 3, Mary Macdonald 7, Julie Kirkwood 2 and Mary Barnett 4.
The runner-up Toronto Maple Leafs: Terry Jones; Mary MacDonald; Mary Barnett; Julie Kirkwood; Mary Schmerle; Helen Call; Shirley Niven; Scholdak; Petrichan; Grace Barnett;
The champion Vancouver Eilers: Shirley Topley; Eleanor Whyte; Nora McDermott; Beverley Gibson, Mavis Gordon, Zoe Robinson; Pat Lawson; Heather Walker; Eleanor Whyte; coach Gordon McDonald