Jason Hills
For MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON — Sometimes the game of basketball can just be a grind!
For the MacEwan Griffins, it certainly had to feel that way against the Victoria Vikes.
It was just an all-around tough evening as they struggled to find their shot, and got dominated on the glass, falling 75-33 on Friday night at the David Atkinson Gym.
MacEwan shot just 23.6 per cent from the field and were just 1-for-18 from beyond the arc, but where Victoria really took over the game was in the paint as they out-rebounded the Griffins 67-31, including recording 32 offensive boards.
"Sometimes you can do some things well and not get rewarded. I thought we generated some good shots tonight and things didn't fall and then it becomes a snowball effect and it's indicative of a young team," said Griffins head coach Katherine Adams.
"They rebounded really well. They have some size, for sure, on us. They're not small and they put themselves in a good position. You know you're going to give up some, but 32 is too many."
Noelle Kilbreath led the Griffins with 12 points and three assists, while rookie Unity Obasuyi recorded eight points and three rebounds.
Rookie Samantha Hickey didn't find the scoresheet, but she recorded six rebounds and two blocks. She now has 18 blocks on the season, which is a new program record for the most by a Griffins rookie in a Canada West season.
W��| FINAL@uvicvikes 75@MacEwanU 33
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) February 10, 2024
Samantha Hickey nets one of her two blocks on the night and is now up to 18 for the season, which is a program rookie record. Stay tuned for a recap.@CanadaWest #GriffNation pic.twitter.com/T7aGltdi80
The dynamic duo of Tana Pankrantz (18 points and 15 rebounds) and Abigail Becker (14 points and 10 rebounds) each recorded a double-double.
The Vikings clearly had the edge in the paint as Pankrantz is six-foot-three and Becker is six-foot-five.
"I don't think we're intimidated; it's not knowing. If you haven't played against someone who is six-foot-four, you don't know how to play against someone that tall. And what you normally do that works to get rebounds, doesn't always work," said Adams.
"They're a bigger team across the board that we're trying to match up with, and it's learning and realizing that 'OK, you have five inches on me, and I have to do something different to win this ball against you.' "
Obasuyi and others like Sarah Burnell and Mackenzie Reeve had the tall task of defending the big Vikings duo, and they battled hard right until the final whistle.
Obasuyi has been put into the starting rotation recently, and the rookie has strung together some solid performances.
"She's one who has had some opportunity and she's thrived, and she's really grown over the course of the year. What we've seen from her is only the tip of the iceberg of where she will be in her fifth year," said Adams.
"It's exciting to see. You know there will be some growth and some growing pains that come with it, but she's really taken it in stride and done a great job for us."
W��| HALF
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) February 10, 2024
Noelle Kilbreath gets the steal and the assist with the nice going to Toki Tsuzuki.
Kilbreath leads @MacEwanU with 12 points so far, but the Griffins trail the @uvicvikes 33-18 through 20 minutes.@CanadaWest #GriffNation pic.twitter.com/Usjahu3JWk
One common theme for the Griffins this season is their shooting struggles and against the Vikes they certainly had some tough times, going long stretches without a basket.
They also allowed Victoria to go on some big scoring runs without finding an answer.
In the second quarter, Victoria went on a 14-0 run. In the third quarter they went on a 17-0 run.
And in the fourth quarter they held MacEwan without a basket for over 5:30.
