It’s a popular aphorism, but for Women’s Basketball (10-9) it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. With the two top teams in the Eastern Conference travelling to U of T this weekend, the Blues will be looking to change their fortunes from, “You win some, you lose some” to just plain “win.”
Coming off of a split against lower-tiered Ottawa (6-13) and Carleton (4-15) last weekend, U of T travels to top seed York (17-2) Friday, followed by a trip to Laurentian (16-3) Saturday. Had the Blues managed victories in both its last games, they would have had a chance to move into a tie for second place. As it now stands, they can do no better than third. However, U of T did clinch a home playoff date for February 17. The Blues host their last game of the regular season against Ryerson Feb. 14.
Ranked fifth nationally by Canadian Interuniversity Sport, York defeated Toronto 83-65 in early January due to a lackadaisical start by the Blues.
“If only we took away the first seven minutes of that game,” Blues coach Michelle Belanger recalls. “We played them fairly even after that, but the damage was already done.”
Coach Belanger is determined not to let history repeat itself, and she didn’t pull any punches when assessing the team’s performance to date.
“Complete inconsistency and a lack of competitive edge,” she diagnosed bluntly. “We just don’t seem to compete when we need to.”
Since the beginning of the season, she has been trying to push her team, whom she describes as “too nice” at times and lacking in killer instinct.
With a youth-heavy roster, such a proposition can be dicey. Five players are in their first year of eligibility and four are in their second. The roster is pretty green, admits Belanger, but she insists the Blues are capable of much more.
“I’m disappointed,” the coach continued. “I think we could be in second place, and I think that’s where we should be, even with the youth we have on our team. We are not losing games because we are young, we are losing games because we are getting out-hustled in key points in the game.”
That issue will have to be addressed before U of T faces a very athletic York team that loves to run the court, Belanger said. She also stated that the team will need to show an “inner desire” as they test themselves against a Laurentian team she ominously described as “very physical.”
In these final few games before the playoffs begin next week, leadership will be imperative for the Blues, who need the veteran players to step up and bring that killer instinct their coach has been looking for. On Saturday night against Carleton, the Blues got that from third-year guard Ilana Weissberger.
Not so much of a vocal leader, the unassuming Weissberger nonetheless let her play do the talking. She finished with 14 points and seven rebounds to capture player-of-the-night honours.
“I think the main thing for us to be successful is to work hard defensively, just always work hard no matter what,” Weisenberger said after the game. Also performing well were forward Christine Cho, with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and guard Allaine Hutton with 11 points. U of T also out-hustled Carleton on the boards, notching a 44 to 22 rebounding edge.
Saturday’s win against Carleton may have softened the blow from a disappointing loss the previous night, which left Belanger completely outraged.
The Blues converted an abysmal 28 per cent from the field, and while they were facing an Ottawa team they had demolished 72-39 in early January, U of T didn’t seem to show up for this game. Hutton led the Blues with 11 points, but off four of 15 shooting.
