Rattlers win Consolation over Vikings delighting home crowd.
The Consolation Final took place between the Augustana Vikings and the Medicine Hat College Rattlers. The Host Rattlers looked to take advantage of the hometown crowd while Augustana looked to win in front of all the fans who traveled down with the team. The game started off with the Vikings scoring a quick basket and the Rattlers quickly answering right away with a Paige Cooper bucket. The Vikings scored on a fast break and re-took the advantage early. Another Cooper Basket for MHC and the teams were once again tied. Another fast break from Augustana put them in the lead up 6-4 less than 2 minutes in. the Teams went cold from here not scoring for 3 minutes until Rattler Morgan Muir hit a 3 putting the home side up by 1. The Vikings took over a minute but were able to re-take the lead going up 8-7. The Rattlers came back, getting to the line and hitting both to once again earn the advantage in the close game. Medicine Hat started playing tight defense and came up with 2 quick steal and scores to take a 13-8 lead. Augustana was able to respond with a 3 from Alyssa Banez and narrowed the lead. the quarter ended with the Rattlers up 15-13 and both teams pressing hard for the lead.
The second quarter started with the Rattlers scoring a quick basket and forcing a tough shot. The Vikings were playing a very physical defense at the start of the quarter and ended up recording 2 fouls in the first 80 seconds. The Rattlers took advantage and pressed their lead going up 22-13 in the first two minutes of the frame. The Vikings seeing this and needing to change the momentum called a timeout with 7:47 on the clock. Augustana came out of the break and was able to score twice and cutting the lead to 5 again, 22-17. The Rattlers scored a quick inside basket to respond and pulled down the defensive board. Unable to convert at the other end the score remained 24-17. Again Banez hit a 3 for Augustana to quickly bring the game back within 4. This saw the Rattlers burn their first timeout with 4:04 left in the frame. The Rattlers were able to put up another quick basked out of the break, but the Vikings earned a trip to the line with Popenia hitting both keeping pace with the Rattlers. Medicine Hat was having more luck offensively today than in the previous games and was having some awkward shots fall in. With a minute on the clock, the Rattlers held a 28-24 lead with the ball. The Rattlers scored a nice inside basket and stole the ball back quickly to jump out to a 31-24 lead at the break.
The Third quarter opened with the Vikings Sheridan Popenia Hitting a 3 on the opening possession of the half. After a quick defensive stop the Vikings scored again inside from Tobore Okome and reduced the Rattler lead to 2. Medicine Hat responded on an outside jumper from Kate Rozdeba restoring the 2 possesion lead. The Vikings quickly tied the game at 35 before the Rattlers once again were able to put 2 baskets together to open a 39-35 lead at the midway point of the quarter. The Rattlers added another 2 before the Vikings could respond. The teams traded baskets on consecutive possessions and with 1:10 on the clock, Medicine Hat still had a 43-39 lead. Augustana quickly earned a trip to the line in the final minute hitting one of two and making the Rattler lead 3. The Rattlers added 2 more taking the final shot of the quarter and took a 45-40 lead heading into the final frame.
Medicine Hat was able to add a quick basket to their lead before heading to the line to add another 2 to go up 49-40. Another 2 defensive stops for the Rattlers gave the home team a shot to increase their lead to double digits but the failed to convert on the offensive end. Augustana missed a deep 3 and fouled Muir who got the lead to 11. Again Augustana responded with a 3 from Popenia who ran back down the floor to pull a d board off the glass. A bad turnover from another Viking resulted in the Rattlers getting another trip to the line and re-establishing a 10 point lead. A quick steal and score saw the Rattlers jump further in the lead up 12 now. With less than half a quarter left and down their largest margin of the game, Augustana took a timeout in an effort to swing the moment. The Rattlers added a single at the line, going up 56-43. Coming right back down the floor the Vikings went to the stripe hitting one of 2 but still down. The Vikings scored quickly again reducing the margin to 10 as the clock read 3:30 left in the game. Augustana forced another turnover and scored quickly to bring the deficit back to 8. A fast break basket for the Vikings saw them down 50-56 but coming back with momentum. Medicine Hat missed yet again and the Vikings added another basket and the lead was down to 4. The Rattlers got to the line and hit one to make the lead 5, but quickly Augustana Banez hit another timely 3 to make it a one possession 2 point game. the Vikings Popenia Ran the floor and dished to Okome to put in her 17th and tying the game at 57. The Rattlers scored with 50 seconds on the clock to pull ahead 2. Coming up with a stop, the Rattlers got back to the line hitting one of two making it a 3 point game with 12.9 seconds on the clock. The Vikings commited a 5 second violation on the inbound essentially ending it. An intentional foul sent the Rattlers to the line hitting one making the lead 4 with under 10 seconds on the clock. The time ran out on the Vikings and the Host Rattlers won 61-57 in a very close game.
The ACAC Players of the game were Hannah Mitchell for Augustana and Kate Rozdeba for MHC
The Tournament All-Stars were Tobore Okome for Augustana and Morgan Muir for MHC.