ANCASTER, ON – The Redeemer Royals women's basketball team hosted the Sheridan Bruins on Tuesday night, looking to stay perfect at home on the Season.
The first quarter saw the Royals try and get a feel for the game. The Bruins outscored them 12-6, but some great defense from Redeemer kept this one in reach early while the offense was stalling. Sophia Van Raalte registered three more blocks in the opening quarter.
The second quarter saw the offense turn it up, and the defense keep the Bruins at bay. The Royals held Sheridan to 7pts while scoring 17. Ava VanHouwelingen led the Royals with 7pts, going 2-4 from deep to help the Royals take a 23-19 lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw both offenses stall. The Royals outscored the Bruins 9-5 with another great defensive effort. Abigail Hoogland's 3 steals and 4pts led Redeemer in both categories in the third.
The offensive struggles continued for both squads, as the trend of neither team being able to capitalize on their chances continued. 8-7, the Royals would outscore the Bruins, securing a 40-31 victory.
While the offense may have left a lot to be desired for the Royals, the defensive effort from the team was inspiring to say the least. The team combined for 6 blocks and 13 steals, locking down the Bruins at every turn.
Defense has been a very positive trend for the Royals this season. Through five games, they rank first in the OCAA in defensive efficiency and blocks per game. This is a backbone the Royals look to build off of moving forward.
Hoogland and Van Raalte had a particularly good night on the glass, securing 8 and 7 offensive rebounds respectively. Hoogland led the way offensively for the Royals with 12pts., while Van Raalte and VanHouwelingen each had 10pts.
The Royals look to make it a win streak when they take on the Humber Hawks in Etobicoke next Wednesday, November the 18th. Tipoff is at 6:00pm.
