After honouring their senior players, women’s basketball beat NNU
By Jade Richardson
Photos by Adam Ovenell-Carter
After four very different seasons as members of the Simon Fraser University women’s basketball team, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, Kristina Collins and Carla Wyman are preparing to retire their Clan jerseys at the end of this season.
The three seniors on the women’s basketball squad have been through countless changes and hardships in their time at SFU. They became the leaders and stars of this year’s team, who, in their first official season in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, are nationally ranked, and in contention for a berth into the NCAA championship tournament.
It was with great sadness and emotion that the trio played their final home match for the Clan in front of a huge crowd in SFU’s West Gym on Feb. 23, in a game marking many exciting moments and events for the Clan.
It was the team’s annual Pink Zone game, where funds were raised for the BC Cancer Foundation’s breast cancer research as the team hosted silent auction, 50/50 draw and collected donations throughout the night.
The game against Northwest Nazarene was a highly anticipated match, as the Clan had never beaten the Crusaders since joining the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2010. Earlier this season they had come closest to a win, falling 60–59 on the road, and the ladies were grinding at the bit in hopes of coming out with a win.
The Crusaders led only once, just as the game began where they took an early 4–0 lead, but the Clan answered quickly and never looked back.
The Clan were tight on defence, effective on offence, and although NNU pressed and got back into the game at certain points, the home side was not prepared to let them take the lead.
As the minutes died-down Langford called three consecutive time-outs, subbing out his seniors one-by-one as the home crowd took to their feet to salute the three players.wv
The game ended in a 73–52 victory for the Clan, improving their GNAC record to 13–3. The Clan secured the second place spot in the conference standings providing them with a first-round bye into the GNAC championship tournament in early March.
The win also marked Head Coach Bruce Langford’s 300th career win with the Clan. Langford has coached the SFU women’s program for 12 years, in a run that included five Canadian Interuniversity Sport Championships before the program shifted to the NCAA.
“I guess it’s an appropriate time to get 300,” he explained. “I’m happier about clinching second place than anything else. NNU is a team we haven’t played well against and we played well tonight.”
And that good play was led by the Clan seniors, who in their final home game posted some impressive numbers. Raincock-Ekunwe recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, while Wyman and Collins added 12 and 11 points respectively. Collins also had an outstanding eight assists and zero turnovers on the night. Clan sophomore Erin Chambers added 18 points to the cause.
Following the match, Turkish freshman Belce Yoruk had her head shaved by teammate Becca Langmead in support of the evening’s cause, as the 2013 team gathered for the final time on the hardwood floors in the West Gym, marking the departure of an important group of players, but also the admittance of a new generation of Clan spirit.
