Falcons women’s basketball team wins their first game of the season at home
The Langara Falcons basketball teams took to their home court last weekend squaring off against Camosun College
By HAZEL LOVE
While the men’s team faced losses in both Friday and Saturday’s games, the women’s team celebrated their first win of the season on Saturday after a hard-fought match.
After a narrow loss to Camosun on Friday with a score of 73-64, the Falcons women’s team regrouped Saturday to claim a 66-57 victory.
Victory sparks confidence
Katelyn Lafleur, a fourth-year player, said the team’s desire for a comeback was strong.
“I feel really good about it. Today was a battle for all of us on the floor,” Lafleur said. After Friday’s loss, “we were all really hungry for that win,” she said.
Lafleur also reflected on the confidence the win gave the team and said it would fuel them in upcoming games. “I think we got to see where our potential could be after today.”
Coaches see this win as turning point
Assistant coach Fatima Rahmani Moghadam said she was excited to see the players’ energy and competitiveness during Saturday’s game. “We finally got some easy buckets,” Moghadam said.
Women’s head coach Cameron MacGillivary said that the win could be the spark the team needs to reach new heights this season.
“It was good to get the win, get the confidence going, and prove that we can match the expectations that the coaching staff has for us,” he said. Looking ahead, he hopes to see the players become even more competitive.
MacGillivary aims to improve on last season’s challenges by encouraging less thinking and more free play, inspiring creativity and increasing leadership among the players.
MacGillivary said “the fire is there” to make the playoffs this season. He noted that the mix of returning and fresh talent has resulted in players working harder and pushing each other. He commented on the team’s empathetic nature and said he encourages them to be more “cutthroat” on the court and “go for the kill.”
While the women’s team is pushing for greater intensity on the court, the men’s team, is focused on creating more excitement for fans.
Accepting roles on the court
Men’s head coach Cassidy Kannemeyer praised the atmosphere and crowd energy despite the team’s struggles. “The fans were awesome…it was pretty packed,” he said. However, he said that the team needs to provide fans with more to cheer for.
“We want to play a fast-paced, exciting style of basketball,” he said, admitting that what keeps the fans coming back is winning. They ultimately lost both games, with Friday scoring 89-71 and Saturday 73-62.
Kannemeyer said players need to focus more on accepting their roles on the court. “Not everybody can be the scoring hero every night,” he said.
Returning player Owen Jones said Camosun had a strong defence and that they “weren’t able to penetrate.”
The men’s team, who finished last season with a 13-11 win-to-loss ratio, now face pressure after losing top scorers Royce Sargeant and Moeiz Athaya to graduation and players need to step up as a team.
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