Badgers open season 2-0
Madalyn Weinert is off to an impressive start in her third Ontario University Athletics season with the Brock Badgers women’s basketball team.
The Eden product scored 29 points Friday night in a 79-69 victory over the University of Toronto and then overcame some early foul trouble Saturday to net 24 points in 24 minutes to help the Badgers record an 81-52 victory over the visiting York Lions at the Bob Davis gym.
“She is really starting to see the floor and she has an eye for the basket,” Brock head coach Mike Rao said. “She is just a very good player and she is always moving. She does everything for us and we are trying to surround her with some more pieces.”
The medical sciences major has clearly defined her do-everything role with the squad.
“It is someone who just wants to be here and wants to play whatever the role that the team needs. If I need to score the ball, if I need to play defence or if I need to pass the ball and find the open person I want to be the best at that,” the 20-year-old said. “That is who I want to be in my third year.”
She agrees with Rao that her court vision has improved.
“I’m trying to see people and that is a work in progress every day. Sometimes I am still getting in a little too deep and I need to get the ball out faster but is definitely something that I am trying to work on because when people come to me that means my teammates are open and why not let them score the ball? Whoever put the ball in the net it doesn’t matter. That is the best case scenario.”
Her goals are all about the team but she wants to improve her game and take it to the next level.
“I want to shoot the ball better, I want to find people better and work on that court vision even more so that I can get the ball to everybody.”
She agrees time has flown at Brock.
“It’s insanity. I can’t believe it is already my third year. It’s exciting but crazy that we are already here.”
Weinert is developing some excellent chemistry with starting forward Tito Akinnusi.
“It has been super fun. She was here all summer long and me and her and the team have been growing together as a team. It has been a joy to play with them every day.”
Rao has noticed her connection with Akinnusi.
“They are starting to work well together and we have to get it a little better with Noor (Bazzi). We have to get more of the street ball out of us and play a little more sophisticated basketball.”
Rao was low key about his team opening the season with a 2-0 record.
“Yeah it’s OK. It’s OK.”
What he wasn’t thrilled with was having to do it by playing his starters Nick Nurse-like minutes. Akinnusi played 76 of 80 minutes, Bazzi played 74 and Weinert would have been in the same ballpark if not for sitting a big chunk of Saturday’s first half because of foul trouble.
“That’s happening but if we want to come out and compete, certain players have to play at this time,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of depth so I am trying to piece things together. And for the first couple of games it kind of worked.”
Rao is looking for minutes from anyone and anywhere and Saturday he got it from freshman guard Jamie Addy. The Governor Simcoe product hit a three for her first points as a Badger and played well in the second quarter with Weinert on the bench. She had three points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals in seven minutes of playing time.
“She gave us the spark we needed,” he said. “She was a factor in helping us maintain.”
BADGERS 79 VARSITY BLUES 69
Brock led 52-34 at the half Friday in the season opener before Toronto tied it heading into the final quarter by outscoring the Badgers 26-8 in the third quarter. Brock rebounded to seal the deal in the fourth quarter by out-scoring the Varsity Blues 19-9.
Top performers for the Badgers were: Weinert with 29 points and nine rebounds; Bazzi with 13 points and seven rebounds; Akinnusi with 12 points, 16 rebounds and five assists; and, Shailah Adams with 11 points.
Top scorers for Toronto were Ellen Ougrinov (20), Raya Hafez (15) and Gabrielle Reid (14).
STATS PACK
Badgers 81 Lions 52
BPSN Player of the Game: Brock’s Madalyn Weinert with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes of playing time.
For the Brock Badgers: Weinert 24; Tito Akinnusi 22; Noor Bazzi 11; Shailah Adams 8.
For the York Lions: Kiara Leveridge 22; Bilan Khadar 10.
Game stats: Shooting percentage: Brock 54.8, York 29.3. Free throws: Brock 9-18, York 14-20. Rebounds: Brock 33, York 29. Turnovers: Brock 16, York 25
Up next: Brock is at Toronto Metropolitan Saturday at 1 p.m.
