By: Kajan Thiruthanikasalam
After positive signs in their preseason opening loss to the Niagara Knights, the Centennial Colts women's basketball team were back in action at the Athletic and Wellness Centre Wednesday night against the visiting Mohawk Mountaineers, looking to get a win.
A slow start on both ends of the floor proved to be the Colts' downfall as they fell, 84-63, to the Mountaineers, wrapping up preseason play.
Janai Menzes led Centennial as well as all scorers with a game high 22 points, 12 of them coming in the third quarter. Christianna Crooks and Beyonce Hosang each had 12 to round off the double digit scorers for the home team.
Four players scored in double figures for the Mountaineers, led by Sam Pocrnic's 18 points off of the bench. Hayley Davis, Rachel Guanzon, and Beth Minielly each had 12 points while Grace Mahler had a game high five assists for Mohawk.
Mohawk had a decisive 12 point edge in made field goals (36-24) and assists (22-10) while Centennial had a 12-10 edge in made free throws.
Pocrnic came out of the gates firing as she came off the bench, scoring nine in the first quarter to spark Mohawk's offense. After a slow start offensively from both teams, Mohawk used the strength of a 12-0 run late in the first quarter to take a 27-9 lead.
The Mountaineers extended their lead to as many as 24 before Centennial began chipping away at the lead, finally getting their offense going. The hosts cut the deficit to as little as 13 but still had a lot of work to do heading into intermission, down 47-30.
In a sign of things to come, Menzes was beginning to heat up, scoring six in the quarter.
Menzes then showed off her offensive prowess, scoring her team's first eight points of the quarter as the Colts kept chipping away at the Mountaineers' lead, cutting it to six on a pair of occasions. But Mohawk responded with seven straight points to end the quarter as they headed into the final frame, up 64-51.
A total of six points from both teams were scored during the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter. Pocrnic, once again, was the catalyst that sparked the Mountaineers' offense, scoring six straight points during a 10-0 run that effectively put the game out of reach. Crooks scored seven in the quarter to pace the Colts.
The Lady Colts will head back to action for their home opener on Friday, October 18, in what will be a dandy - as they face off against their rivals in the George Brown Huskies. Tip off is at 6:00pm.