HALIFAX: The Acadia Axewomen knew they had to get back to playing their game in the second half of the SUBWAY AUS Women’s basketball championships against a game and fierce Cape Breton University squad.
The second seeded Axewomen did that and dug down deep to erase a nine-point deficit at the fourth quarter going on a 30-15 run in the final quarter to pick up the 71-65 victory over the Capers, ranked fourth.
Elmsdale’s Sarah Delorey was a key player on the inside for the Axewomen.
In the final against CBU, the Hants East Tigers girls basketball alum contributed 11 points and nine rebounds (four offensive and five defensive) in 29 minutes played. Delorey also had one block.
Reached by phone after arriving back in Wolfville, Delorey said it still hadn’t hit her that they won the AUS Women’s championship.
“This has been what we’ve been working for all year,” said Delorey. “The sound of that is so good. It’s still so surreal.”
She said her family were in the crowd and got to celebrate the special moment post-game with them.
“I got to see them after the game and get pictures,” said Delorey. “It was great.
“I am just so thankful for all the support from my family and friends and happy they could all be there.”
Delorey spoke about how the Axewomen rallied back from trailing to win the game.
“Going into half we knew we could do it,” she said. “We weren’t playing our game the first half, so we had to come out in the second half and play our game as strong as ever.
“Going into the fourth quarter, being down by only single digits we knew it was still possible. We knew it could be our last quarter of basketball for the season, so we wanted to make a push, and get the win. That’s what we did.”
In the semi-final on Saturday, an 86-82 victory over SMU, Delorey had 19 points in 22 minutes of action; six rebounds (three offensive and three defensive); two assists; and one steal and one block.
She talked about her performance on the weekend.
“I have great teammates that are good at finding me when I’m open,” she said. “I’m just going to keep working and get ready for nationals.
Delorey commented about teammate Jayda Veinot’s offensive explosion notching 34 points in leading the resilient Axewomen’s charge back from trailing in the game.
“Jayda is always someone we can rely on,” she said. “She’s the engine of our team. She gets us going.”
Delorey and the Axewomen will now represent the AUS at the U-Sports women’s basketball championship next week in Kingston, Ont.
