The Redeemer Royals started their OCAA crossover playoff game with an electrifying first quarter, fueled by the fast breaks orchestrated by first-year guard Sydney Drain. Second-year forward Talia Vreugdenhil asserted dominance in the paint early on, drawing double coverage each time she touched the ball. The Royals ended the first quarter with a flourish, capped off by a three-pointer to extend their lead 18-12 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Royals continued their gritty performance, pushing the game seemingly out of reach and looking to secure a spot in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. Steffanie Blair capitalized on a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with a long three-pointer, showcasing the team's ball movement against a tough George Brown defence. 

Vreugdenhil added to her impressive point total with a spin move around her defender midway through the second as part of her impressive double-double performance, extending the Royals' lead to 34-19 with six minutes remaining in the half.

A flourish of shots from a down but not out Huskies saw them claw their way back into the game with their best five minutes of basketball all afternoon and, in doing so, reduced the Royals' lead to just seven. Behind a loud and packed gym in Toronto, the Huskies went back and forth, trading baskets with the Royals until a leaning three-pointer from Drain with 20 seconds remaining made it 40-30 at the half.

The third quarter saw the Huskies slowly and confidently get back into the game, narrowing the gap to 50-45 with 3:23 left, thanks to a full-court press and a Jordyn Dawkins 8 point and 8 rebound game off the bench. Shooting almost 40% from three, the OCAA West #3 seed would continue to surge with a buzzer-beating shot at the end of the third quarter to reduce the lead to just one.

In the fourth quarter, the Huskies took the lead for the first time since the opening minutes, frustrating the Royals' attack that could not capitalize on a tough shooting day at the office. Clutch plays from Karyn TeBrake and Mia Palango, who had another standout performance at both ends of the floor and yet another double-double kept the Royals within striking distance.

With the Royals down two and in possession with under 30 seconds to go, it would come down to one last play to extend the win streak. Unfortunately, two shots fell just short, and despite their efforts, the visiting Royals fell short in the end, with the Huskies securing a narrow victory. Palango's impressive play and the team's resilience will surely be key factors as they continue building on a bright future ahead.

The Redeemer Royals will now regroup, aiming to bounce back stronger in their pursuit of success in the OCAA tournament in 24-25.

Player Highlights

Katie Lau: Played 26 minutes and contributed 7 points and 2 steals.
Karyn TeBrake: Logged 31 minutes, scoring 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Talia Vreugdenhil: Played 31 minutes and led the team with an impressive double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Jessica Angelini: Chipped in 8 points and 5 rebounds.
Mia Palango Played 36 minutes, recording a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, dishing out 2 assists and collecting 4 steals.
Steffanie Blair: Contributed 5 points in 9 minutes of play.
Sydney Drain: Scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 22 minutes on the court.

Team Totals:

Field Goals: 25 out of 81 attempts (30.9%)
3-Pointers: 8 out of 37 attempts (21.6%)
Free Throws: 8 out of 18 attempts (44.4%)
Total Rebounds: 41
Assists: 18
Steals: 13