Women's basketball championship kickoff sees Carleton Ravens triumphing over Bishop's University in the opener.
Tough as Nails: Carleton Ravens Secure a Victorious Start in USports National Basketball Championship
The Carleton Ravens women's basketball team kicked off their title defense at the 2023 USports National Championship with a dazzling first win. This high-stakes tournament, held at the University of British Columbia's War Memorial Gym in Vancouver, brings together eight teams hailing from across the country, including Laval, uOttawa, UBC, Saint Mary's, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The action continues until Sunday.
Entering the tournament as the third-ranked team, the Ravens, who clinched the championship last year, faced off against the sixth-ranked Bishop's Gaiters. The Gaiters found themselves in hot water early, accruing fouls and struggling to find their shooting groove. Meanwhile, the Ravens unleashed an aggressive fast break and press, racking up a 34-20 lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, Carleton's Dorcas Buisa scored a staggering nine points, catapulting the team to a 20-point lead. Her stellar performance earned her the Player of the Game award for the Ravens. Eve Atchampone of Bishop's was named Player of the Game for her team, finishing the game with 11 points.
Carleton's Teresa Donato led the scoring chart with 20 points, including nine successful free throws out of ten attempts.
With this triumph, the Ravens advance to the semifinals, where they will face off against their longstanding rivals, the uOttawa Gee Gees. The Gee Gees emerged victorious in their match against Laval, a nail-biting game that required overtime, remarkably ending in a 71-67 score. This upcoming clash will serve as a repeat of the OUA Critelli Cup Final, where the Ravens suffered their first loss since preseason, making the stakes all the higher.
After the win, Carleton coach Dani Sinclair shared her team's sentiment about the looming rematch: "They outplayed us last Saturday, so we [have to] take better care of the ball, finish on offense, and play better defense," she said, emphasizing the lessons they hope to apply from that previous encounter.
The highly anticipated game will go down on March 15 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbirds Centre in Vancouver at 9 p.m. ET.
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While there's no explicit reference to a 2023 USports National Championship semi-final match between the Carleton Ravens and uOttawa Gee Gees, historical data shows:
- Recent USports Championships: Bishop's University defeated Waterloo in the 2025 national final, with Toronto claiming bronze.
- Missing Context: The specific request for a 2023 Carleton vs. uOttawa semifinal (unspecified sport) may refer to basketball, a traditional rivalry for these schools. However, no direct results confirm such a 2023 USports semifinal match occurred. This information may be subject to verification regarding the specific sport and year.
The Carleton Ravens, having clinched the USports National Basketball Championship last year, demonstrated their defensive prowess in the opening match against the Bishop's Gaiters, securing a 34-20 halftime lead. Dorcas Buisa's impressive scoring spree in the third quarter further cemented their victory, setting up a highly anticipated rematch against their rivals, the uOttawa Gee Gees. The Gee Gees, who won against Laval in a tight overtime game, aim to repeat their OUA Critelli Cup Final victory over the Ravens, a loss that the Ravens are determined to avenge. Dani Sinclair, the Carleton coach, expressed the team's resolve, wanting to take better care of the ball, finish on offense, and play better defense for the upcoming clash set for March 15 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbirds Centre in Vancouver.
Historical data shows that although a 2023 USports Championship semi-final between these teams is unverified, a traditional rivalry exists between the Carleton Ravens and uOttawa Gee Gees, particularly in basketball. However, more research is needed to confirm if such a semi-final match took place in the specified year.
In a parallel universe or a different sport, we might find the Ravens and Gee Gees contending for titles in sports other than basketball, but for now, the anticipation lies with their upcoming basketball rematch.
