WBB | Crawford’s Late-Game Heroics Give Voyageurs Third Win of Season
Sidney Crawford, remember the name.
The Laurentian Voyageurs took on the newly formed Ontario Tech Ridgebacks on Saturday evening in Oshawa and were searching for their third win of the season.
The game was a see-saw battle. The Ridgebacks came out flying as they outscored the Voyageurs 20-7 in the first quarter. They started the quarter on a 12-0 run and held the Voyageurs scoreless for approximately four and a half minutes. The Ridgebacks shot 40.9% from the field while the Voyageurs shot just 11.8% and consequently the first quarter came to an end with the Ridgebacks up by 13 points. The Ridgebacks were led by Bilan Khadar and Katherine Onunkwo with four points each and were trailed closely by Christine Yogaretnam with three points. Meanwhile, the Voyageurs were led by Héléna Lamoureaux with five points and Sidney Crawford with two points.
But, the Voyageurs came roaring back in the second quarter as they restricted their opponents to just five points. They stepped up their defensive intensity and shot 25.0% from the field, all the while, restricting their opponents to just 12.5% shooting to achieve this feat. The Voyageurs were led by Lamoureaux with five points and Bailey Tabin with four points. At the conclusion of the first half, the Voyageurs trailed 25-21.
The third quarter was more evenly played between both teams as the Ridgebacks outscored the Voyageurs by just four points. To start the quarter, the Voyageurs went on a 9-0 run to take a two point lead but they could not hold on to it because the Ridgebacks replied with 5-0 run to regain the lead. A back and forth tussle would continue for the rest of the match and ultimately, the Voyageurs trailed 48-40 at the conclusion of the third quarter. Leading scorers for the Ridgebacks included Khadar with seven points and Aprille Whyne and Onunkwo with six points each. Comparatively, Lamoureaux led the team in scoring with 11 points in the quarter and was followed closely behind by Gabby Schaffner and Arielle Douillette with three points each. Lamoureux had a brilliant game, finishing with a double-double as she scored 29 points and 11 rebounds.
However, this match filled with its ups and downs came down to the wire. With 6:55 remaining in the match, the Ridgebacks had opened a 12-point lead but the Voyageurs then began to slowly but surely chip away at the Ridgeback lead. Schaffner drained a clutch three-pointer to cut the lead to six points with 1:17 left to play. This lead was then eventually cut to just two points when Laoureaux successfully converted her free throws with 19 seconds remaining. Following the made free throws, the Ridgebacks decided to call a timeout. But the Voyageurs were not fazed by any tricks as they valiantly defended to force a shot clock violation which gave them the last possession of the match with just six seconds remaining. What transpired next was nothing short of amazing. Since the Voyageurs had no timeouts left, they were forced to inbound the ball from their end of the court but Crawford was a woman on a mission who saw the situation and rose to the occasion. She received the inbound pass from Lamoureaux and dribbled past two Ridgebacks to find herself open at the top of the key and with only three seconds left, she shot the ball and sure the ball went through the basket for a buzzer beater victory for the Voyageurs.
The Voyageurs will not travel to the provincial capital, Toronto, next weekend to finish off their regular season. They will take on the 3-16 Toronto Varsity Blues next on February 14 Goldring Centre. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 pm.
Wali Khan