Note: All games are at 3:30pm, and all posted records include playoff games.
Senior Girls
(1) Waterloo 12-0 vs. (9) Elmira 7-6
Regular Season: WCI 34, Elmira 18 - Oct. 19
The WCI Vikings and Elmira Lancers will be meeting as part of an interesting "school spirit" day over at WCI. In fact, the Vikes will be hosting 5 (yes, FIVE) home playoff games (2 football, 2 volleyball and 1 basketball - I believe) over the course of the day.
The Lancers accomplished their mission of advancing to AAA CWOSSA by winning at Southwood on Tuesday (while having Preston drop their contest at home to GRCI). Although that will be a nice way to end their season, I still expect them to give a solid effort here tomorrow against the Vikes and go out with "nothing to lose".
The Lancers have been getting hot at the right time, and have welcomed Lydia Frey back to the fold --- she has delivered several double-digit performances over the past several games and during the St. James Tournament this past weekend.
Let's face it, the Vikes probably have too much depth here for Elmira but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Lancers keep it interesting. They'll need to keep the pace slow and hold WCI to a similar score as the first time they played --- which might be a more difficult task on WCI's floor in front of their fans.
Mark's Pick: WCI by 22
(2) KCI 11-1 vs. (10) Grand River 7-6
Regular Season: KCI 54, Grand River 34 - 9/30
We can basically discount their regular season matchup since the Rens had only 6 available players for their game against the Raiders back in late September. KCI, meanwhile, was dealing with some injury issues of their own and were playing with a full roster for perhaps the first time this season during that contest.
Grand River got off to a very slow start in league play (thanks in part to a very difficult schedule), but caught fire down the stretch to not only make the playoffs, but earn the #10 seed. After "upsetting' #7 Preston on the road on Tuesday, they travel across Kitchener to do battle with the Raiders.
It's going to take some big efforts from Aileen MacLellan and Kailey DeBoer here for the Rens to advance to the final four; though they are capable of going off I look for the big-game experience of the Raider veterans to shine through and help earn yet another semifinal berth.
Mark's Pick: KCI by 14
(3) Cameron Heights 11-1 vs. (6) Bluevale 8-5
Regular Season: Cameron Heights 42, Bluevale 25 - 10/21
The Cameron Heights Golden Gaels will put their brilliant regular-season performance on the line against the 6th seed in the WCSSAA senior girls division, the Bluevale Knights.
The Knights have had an up-and-down year that has included some injury issues as well as a three-game "slide" in late October (double-digit losses to CHCI, GRCI and a narrow three-point win over Glenview Park). However, after beating Elmira and having a solid playoff outing against SJAM, it appears as though the Knights may in fact be peaking at the right time.
The key for the Knights will be getting big performances from Elissa Dent and/or Shannon Curran -- the duo combined for just 9 points last time out against Cameron, but are definitely capable of bigger things (Dent had 25 in the first round against SJAM).
As for the Gaels, as I mentioned the other day, they won more regular season games this year than they did in 2008 & 2009 combined. The main reason? A balanced attack. As one CWOSSA coach told me during a conversation in early October, "they have 4 or 5 legit scoring options which is extremely rare in girls basketball --- usually you're lucky when you have 3".
As for those "legit scoring options", their starting 5 (Erin Robbins, Liz McLellan, Siki Jez, Camille Gardner and Anny Phan) have combined for 24 double digit performances over 12 regular season games. It doesn't take a math expert to understand that means that generally at least 2 of their starters are hitting double figures on any given night......but again, their key seems to be balance. McLellan and Robbins have had 8 double-digit outings, Jez 5, Gardner 2 and Phan 1. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, Lauren Cowie came off the bench last time against Bluevale and put in 10 points. Pick your poison.
Cameron can't take the Knights lightly here, since BCI does have the weapons to be able to win this game. However, if one Gael has an off-afternoon another one can just as easily step up so that combined with playing in front of their home fans means that I'll take the Gaels here.
Mark's Pick: Cameron Heights by 12
(4) Galt 9-3 vs. (5) Eastwood 9-4
Regular Season: Galt 62, Eastwood 43 - 11/4
The reason this game is down in Cambridge is because the Ghosts won a battle between these two clubs when both entered the game at 8-3 last week.
The Rebs seemed to struggle down the stretch --- losing by double digits to Grand River and then by almost 20 to Galt; however, just when you were about to right them off they come back and put a 70-spot on the scoreboard on Tuesday afternoon against Jacob Hespeler. Sure, it was a #5 vs #12 game, but you have to figure that result will give the Rebs a confidence boost heading into this rematch down in Cambridge.
Three Rebels (Lindsay Ward, Caitlyn Schlegel, and of course Michelle Hudyn) scored 16+ in that game and Eastwood will again need big efforts from that trio here on Thursday. In all likelihood, either all three will need to put up teens on the scoresheet or they'll need some greater contributions from their bench for Eastwood to be able to walk away with the victory.
The Galt Ghosts, meanwhile, haven't lost a league game since October 14th --- so almost a month ago. The strong play of Liz and Christine Phillips, along with Jessie Lund and Milica Stevanovic, have allowed the Ghosts to return to the Senior AAA CWOSSA championships.
Of course, that's still over a week away. For now, the Ghosts will continue to play THIS weekend with a home win over ECI. Expect it to be closer than last time, though.
Mark's Pick: Galt by 8
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