HALIFAX: Sarah Delorey and Grace Lancaster remember attending the SUBWAY AUS Women’s basketball championships as young girls, dreaming one day to be the players they were watching.
Beginning today, March 17, the products of Elmsdale and Fall River will get to hit that same court at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax they yearned too years ago for their Acadia Axewomen and UPEI Panthers, the defending AUS champions from 2020 (no tournament held in 2021).
Delorey, a Hants East Rural High alum, said she will definitely have nerves as she hits the court as her number two ranked Acadia Axewomen kick off the tournament against seventh seed St, Francis Xavier University X-Women at 1 p.m.
“Nerves are a good thing for me, and they usually go away right when I step on the court to play as I’m focused on the game,” said Delorey in an interview from Wolfville. “Playing in front of friends and family gets me really excited and gives me even more motivation. But really right now excitement is the main thing I’m feeling.”
Lancaster agrees she too has nerves about the weekend ahead, but also is excited. Her panthers start in the 6:30 p.m. game against Dalhousie.
“I’ve been going to watch these championships since I was really young so it’s really awesome to be able to be on that court and play in it now,” said the Lockview High alum in an interview on the eve of the AUS tournament.
“The atmosphere and energy are amazing so it’s going to be lots of fun to be on the court instead of in the stands this time around.”
She said the Panthers had a great season, despite the loss of key player Jenna Mae Ellsworth due to injury and then returning from Christmas with COVID-19 and game cancellations.
“I think being ranked in a good spot is really great and we’re a great team with a lot of talented players, but we have to go into this weekend with a good mentality and ready to work.
Delorey, a leader of the three-peat HERH Tigers girls hoops team, remembers heading to Scotiabank Centre when she was younger and being a fan in the stands, being a young female basketball player seeing what was possible if she put in the hard work.
“I remember going and thinking of how amazing it would be to play there and how awesome those girls and guys are,” she said. “Now I’m here so I really just want to take it all in, enjoy it and play my game.’
She said for the Len Harvey-coached Axewomen to be successful, they need to go into every game focused and ready to go from the start.
“Defensively we need all five players on the floor to lock up and guard their man/yard and all five needs to boxout and rebound,” said Delorey. “Success on the defensive end will translate into the offensive end.
“We need to move the ball fast up the floor and then just play our game.”
This is Delorey’s first year playing university basketball. She said there was definitely a big adjustment between the two levels.
“It was definitely a big jump from high school ball at the start, but I’ve really gotten the hang of it,” she said. “There were definitely some challenges and new things to get used to, but it’s been a fun adventure.
“I think the team has had a great season so far, especially after Christmas break we came out strong knowing what we had to do, and we did that. “Ending so strong in our regular season play has given us a momentum and energy that I think will be really beneficial this weekend.”
Lancaster said UPEI head coach Matt Gamblin has talked to his players about doing the ‘little things’ and the importance in them.
“I think if we work the hardest we can, do those necessary little things and just play together as a team, it puts us in a great spot to do well,” she said.
Delorey said being ranked second is formidable, but the Acadia players can’t rest on their laurels and loosen up.
“This is the weekend we’ve been working towards all year so being ranked where we are is sweet but isn’t a focus anymore,” she said. “Thursday game against X is the focus.”
The Laker News will be at the games for both on Thursday. For the rest of the weekend please follow on the AUS website https://www.atlanticuniversitysport.com/sports/wbkb/2021-22/postseason/index .
