Pouring their hearts into the final game of the year, the Douglas College Royals could be excused for crumbling just a bit following Saturday’s 64-62 loss to the Northern Alberta Institute Ooks.
In what was decided in the last second, the punctuation mark on a successful season won’t need any asterisk after the Royals put forth a strong effort over three days at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s women’s national basketball championships.
What they absorbed over the three days was a steep learning curve, complete with heady highs and bottom-drawer lows.
“The first game was just an eye-opener and something that really demonstrated how big a transition it is from provincial to national play,” Douglas head coach Steve Beauchamp said.
“There are always things you can’t plan for, you need to adapt when things don’t go as planned. I think our goal going in was to be sure they enjoyed the experience but also be serious about what we were trying to achieve.”
After a rattling 99-44 loss to the Lethbridge Kodiaks in their first game, the Royals turned the page and regrouped against the Mount St. Vincent Mystics of the Atlantic Conference, busting open a two-point game with a 15-0 run in the second quarter en route to a 78-60 win.
Rachel Beauchamp scored 22 points and reeled in 16 rebounds, while Ellen Fallis contributed 19
points and Sarah Jorgenson netted 15 points and four blocks.
Unlike the game against the eventual national champion Kodiaks, Douglas dominated the boards and shot 51.7 per cent in free throws.
“We came out quite well (against Mount St. Vincent) and I think we felt that second quarter, where we held them to six points, was where we played our best,” said the coach. “Mount St. Vincent battled back, and I think the consensus we got from those first two games was all the teams were quality. They all deserved to be here.”
That set up the showdown against the Ooks with a spot in the bronze medal game at stake.
Trailing by three after one quarter, the Royals again held the opposition to just six points in the second quarter and gained the upper hand with a 33-26 lead entering the second half.
But the Northern Alberta hosts ramped it up and pulled ahead by 11 points before a final Royal rally saw Jorgenson nail back-to-back buckets and Adelia Paul sink two free throws to make it 62-62 with 2:12 remaining.
After missing a few chances to break the stalemate, Douglas saw the game turn in the final 15 seconds as the Ooks took possession and got it down the floor, with Jordan Enns hitting a jump shot with one second left on the clock.
“We had two, maybe three good opportunities, good looks that didn’t fall for us,” remarked coach Beauchamp of the last minute.
“(After Enns’ scored) we called a time-out and got the ball inbounds and had a jump shot but it just didn’t fall. … There were a few tears, for sure.”
Rachel Beauchamp, the coach’s daughter, tallied 10 points and six rebounds en route to a first team all-star honour and All-Canadian selection. Simran Bir came off the bench and led all Douglas shooters with 16 points, while Jorgenson chipped in 13 points.
Two players – Garaline Tom and Paul – exit the program after five years with some great memories. Paul, a team captain, established a new PacWest record for career assists, accumulating 317 over five seasons.
New Westminster’s Jettie McLaughlin, meanwhile, is a fourth-year player who is completing her degree and has indicated she will be moving on.
“It was emotional for the three, for their teammates, after the (NAIT) game,” said coach Beauchamp.
“We really focused on getting to the bronze game, so there was disappointment, but I think when they look back on what they accomplished, getting to nationals and knowing there’s a (provincial) banner in the gym that they contributed to, that’s something to take pride in.”
