LANCERS READY TO BATTLE FOR SECOND HALF
Record: 3-5 (tied for fifth place in OCAA East Division – top 8 qualify for playoffs)
Notable player stats:
Third-year guard Brittany Mason (16.8 points per game - tied for tenth in the conference), second-year guard Piper Kehoe (Leads the Lancers with a 36.8 field goal percentage which is tenth best in the league) first-year guard Lee Siega (Leads the Lancers with 22 steals).
Breakdown:
The Lancers burst out of the gate in 2019 with a 3-0 record for one of the best starts in recent history for the program. After taking down the Georgian Grizzlies, Centennial Colts & Seneca Sting, a series of tough opponents put a stop to the win streak at 3 and left the Lancers winless through the rest of the first half. The team proved to be tough, skilled and full of heart, thanks in part to key veterans stepping into crucial leadership roles. Senior players Kate Raso, Brittany Mason and Piper Kehoe have done an incredible job of guiding their teammates to buy into the Lancers style of play and providing veteran knowledge of the league.
The Lancers shot 31 percent from the field in the first half and 20 percent from beyond the three-point line. From the foul line, the Lancers shot a respectable 64 percent, which puts them in the top 10 in all of OCAA women's basketball teams.
With the injury plagued first half of the season now complete, the Lancers have proven their ability to handle adversity and stay together as a team Their depth was tested on various occasions, but their "never give up" attitude helped push them through with strong contributions from first year players Hannah Schipper, Andrea Salazar and Sheanne Andres.
Players to Watch:
Brittany Mason has been a unstoppable force all semester. The third year Lancer turned in a career high performance against the Centennial Colts where she recorded an astounding 36 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals. In the same game, Mason went 15-16 from the foul line, proving she's just as tough as she is skilled. With 8 games under her belt, Mason is averaging 16.8 points/game, 8.8 rebounds/game and is shooting an impressive 80.3% from the foul line.
First year players Lee Siega and Hannah Schipper have been solid contributors throughout the first semester and are poised to continue through the second. Siega made waves around the league early on due to her speed and ball handling abilities. She leads her team in steals with 22, has a total of 44 points on the season and is shooting 64 percent from the foul line.
Schipper has made huge strides in her game since she first joined the Lancers. Looking progressively more confident with every move she makes on the floor, Schipper has the ability to take the second half by storm and become a truly dominant post player.
Second half schedule:
The Lancers starts the second half of the season with back-to-back road games against the Durham Lords (6-2) and Georgian Grizzlies (0-8). With key match ups in the middle of the semester, the Lancers have a five game home stand where they'll face the Seneca Sting on January 24th, Centennial Colts on January 31st, UTM Eagles on February 7th , George Brown Huskies on February 8th and St. Lawrence Vikings on February 14th. They finish out the regular season on the road against the top ranked Algonquin Thunder.
With playoffs on the horizon, the Lancers look to add to the win column to get themselves the best possible match up to earn their way into the 2020 OCAA Provincial Championships.