This past Saturday, October 20th, the UTM Women’s basketball team played at home and chalked up their first win of the season over the Mohawk College Mountaineers. Jade Addai led the team with 19 points to a convincing 62-51 final.
The game was dominated by the UTM women while they showcased their incredible speed in transition and their impeccable mid and long-range shooting game. After a few nervous minutes in the middle of the first quarter, Mohawk College led 13-11. UTM was resilient and didn’t trail for long as they tied the score at 13 just before the end of the first quarter.
Moving into the second quarter, the Eagles turned good defense into quick offense, forcing three turnovers and finding Jade Addai in transition for two quick lay-ups and a clinical mid-range jumper taking the lead 19-13. The Eagles got to work taking the game over and never giving up their lead after this part of the second quarter. Overwhelming rebound control gave them second and third chance points and refused the Mohawk women any deep position under the net. Into the late stages of the game, Jade Addai drilled a dagger three ball to earn an eleven point, 53-42, advantage and eventually represented the game winning basket.
Point Guard, Janella Viado, commanded the game and turned up on the defensive side as she wreaked havoc at half court stealing the ball and making it hard for Mohawk to set up their offense. With Viado’s help, the Eagles consistently converted turnovers into points and started to establish themselves as a dangerous group of players that would capitalize on any of their opponent’s mistakes. She would finish the game with 8 points and was a big part of the shut-down defense of her team.
Hustle player of the game undoubtedly goes to Jiana Alnajjar who was relentless in chasing down every 50/50 ball on the court. She finished with 17 points, most of them in the fourth quarter when she helped put it out of reach for Mohawk College just when they were threating the comfortable Eagles lead, scoring from two offensive rebounds in a row and hitting a quick transition ten-foot runner.
This was an impressive win from an impressive looking UTM women’s basketball team where they should celebrate a stellar opening game. They look forward to the rest of the season and hope to build on the strengths that led them to winning the game.
