Kajan Thiruthanikasalam (Sports Writer, Colts Athletics)
SCARBOROUGH, ONT.- After consecutive double-digit losses over the weekend to the Loyalist Lancers and the St. Lawrence Vikings, the Centennial Colts were looking to get back on track at home. They sure did get back on track.
The Colts used a scorching first quarter to pull ahead and never looked back, doubling up on the winless Georgian Grizzlies (0-9), 70-35, at the Athletic and Wellness Centre in what was their first game of a four game home stand. The win moved Centennial to 5-6 on the season.
"I think everybody had the same mindset," Judy Ta said. "Losing the two games on the weekend was really hard for all of us and coming back and defending homecourt was important for us."
Ta started off hot from the field, scoring 13 of her game high 19 points in the first quarter, and also dished out six assists. The point total was a season high for Ta and also matched her career high, which was set on Feb. 7, 2017 against Seneca. It also marks her third straight game scoring in double figures.
"My coaches are asking that I become a better scorer and I'm just trying to live up to what they're asking of me," Ta said.
Yasmeen Smith finished with a double-double, with 18 points and a game high 17 rebounds while Mariam Konate finished with 12 points, and game highs in assists (seven) and steals (four).
Jessica Stockdale led Georgian with 14 points in defeat. The Colts limited the Grizzlies to 25.8 per cent shooting from the field while outrebounding them, 69-38, and forcing 28 turnovers. Centennial also had 20 steals and dished out 17 assists.
Centennial came out flying to start off the game, scoring the first 14 points before Stockdale's layup ended Georgian's scoreless drought. The Colts then closed out the quarter on an 11-4 run as they went up 25-6 after one. Ta hit three triples during the quarter while Konate had six assists in the first quarter alone.
"Coming in, as a rookie, and being put at the starting point guard is very hard and she's been doing extremely well," Ta said about Konate. "Her assists are helping me score a lot better."
The 25 points also marked a season high for points in a quarter for the Colts.
The Colts continued that momentum in the second quarter as they closed out the first half on a 13-2 run to take a commanding 40-12 lead at halftime. Smith scored six of her 10 first half points in the quarter alone and had eight rebounds at the half.
Both sides played even in the third quarter (17-17) with Smith scoring seven points in the quarter before Centennial reeled off 10 straight points in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to as many as 36 before eventually winning by 35. Up next, however, is a much more difficult matchup against the Seneca Sting (8-2). Centennial looks to take revenge after losing 72-52 to the Sting on the road on Nov. 23, 2017.
"The key to beating Seneca is our defense and bringing high intensity," Ta said. "We need to defend a lot better than what we did today. Today, we did great but we need to be better Saturday if we want to win."
UP NEXT: Centennial continues its home stand Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm against the Seneca Sting.