Cyclone reach BPSN semifinals for first time
Composure was the name of the game for the E.L. Crossley Cyclone Wednesday night at Ridley College as they knocked off the A.N. Myer Marauders 37-27 in the championship quarter-finals of the Fourth Annual BPSN Girls Basketball Tournament.
“Credit to Crossley. They are a good team. Their coach said it best. They stay, calm, cool and collected,” Myer coach Katie Harpur said. “We got a little bit frazzled out there and that affected our game but it is learning curve. This is two to Crossley that they’ve got on us so that hurts a bit.”
The Cyclone defeated Myer 35-25 in regular season in a game that wasn’t a whole lot different than Wednesday night. It was a low-scoring intense affair.
“We tried to adjust a couple of things that we saw from the first game but they played the better chess match,” Harpur said.
Crossley head coach Aaron Belding was expecting Myer to give his team a battle.
“They are a great team and they have great ballplayers and we have to play great defence to be able to keep them to a low score. They are playing great defence on us and that is why we are putting up low numbers.”
Playing under control was key in recording the victory.
“We are working at being under control in pressure situations and it takes a long time for the girls to develop that composure,” he said. “We talk about consistency and sometimes we come down and jack it up and don’t use the shot clock. We are trying to get them to be mindful of using the clock, using our possessions and working our offence.”
Belding likes what he has seen from his team this season.
“We have lots to work on and lots to improve but it is a good team. The girls are coming and improving every day and it’s just getting them to be all on the same page at the same time.”
Crossley’s player of the game Wednesday was Leah Waselovich.
“She’s a good player and a ballhandler. She is usually generating the offence and was very under control,” Belding said. “She had lots of steals and finished. Her finishing was a big thing.”
Waselovich was all over the court, diving for loose balls and stripping the ball from Myer players.
“That’s the beauty of her running the offence. She is around everything,” Belding said.
The Grade 11 student played basketball outside of school for a few years in elementary school but stopped in Grade 7 to focus on soccer because she felt she was better at that sport.”
“Basketball is just to keep me fit and I love playing with the girls on my team too. It’s super fun for me to do too,” the 16-year-old Fonthill resident said.
The Hamilton United OPDL player feels soccer complements her basketball abilities.
“It’s the cuts to the middle of the key, having great communication, when you see space you drive it or you pass the ball into space when you see someone cutting.”
Waselovich brings her physical play in soccer to the basketball court.
“I have a lot of drive, I hustle for the ball and I like it.”
She is still training with Hamilton United which makes for a busy fall and a tough juggling act for the teen.
“Usually soccer is later at 7:30 (p.m.) to 9. I do basketball right after school and then go straight to soccer.”
The Cyclone are thrilled to be in the BPSN semifinals.
“It’s exciting. For us, it is the first time being here,” Belding said. “We are going to try and take advantage of it and learn to move on.”
Waselovich echoes Belding’s comments.
“It is super exciting. I feel like we had to work really hard to get there so I am really proud of my team. We played intensely and we are getting better as the season progresses.”
STATS PACK
Cyclone 37 Marauders 27
Cat’s Caboose Player of the Game: Crossley’s Leah Waselovich with six points and a strong game at guard.
For the E.L. Crossley Cyclone: Amelia Siolkowsky 11; Kadie Luciani 7; Addie Falardeau 7; Leah Waselovich 6; Claire Piekny 5; Helena Siolkowsky 1;
For the A.N. Myer Marauders: Sophia Kotsanis 10; Maggie Mannell 6; Ava Walker 4; A Allan 2; Emma Vendittelli 2; Maia Walker 2 Vianna Visscher 1
Up next: E.L. Crossley advances to the championship semifinals at Ridley College Thursday at 6 p.m. versus Notre Dame.
Livestream: Visit hudl.com and search Ridley College to watch Thursday’s semifinals.
The tournament is made possible with the help of Women Networking in Sports of Niagara, Tora Inc., Ridley College, Alltech Automotive, St. Catharines CYO Basketball, Pelham Panthers basketball, Niagara Falls Red Raiders basketball, the Niagara District Referees Association, the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board.
