Western Vs York February 6 83-75.

Tait McKenzie Centre, North York

Tait Mckenzie Centre had that tight loud February energy where nothing comes easy and every possession feels like a test. York came in confident and physical and for a while they made Western work for every inch. But Western stayed calm stayed connected and when the game reached the moments that decide nights like this Western had more pressure more poise and more answers

First Quarter
The opening ten minutes were a grind. York got to the line early and Western missed a few looks that usually fall. Even so you could feel Western hanging around on purpose not panicking not chasing. Paris Alexander hit a big early three to settle the floor and Sydney Cowan started carving out space in the paint just enough to keep the game within reach. York edged it 18 16 but it never felt like Western lost control of the rhythm

Second Quarter
This is where the game started to turn into a Western kind of night. The pace lifted and Western leaned into pressure defense that created chaos. Renee Armstrong kept living at the free throw line and you could see York getting worn down by how relentless she was with the ball and without it. Cowan found her scoring touch in waves and Western stacked stops into runs. York still scored well in the quarter but Western's 26 points and constant disruption swung the whole feel of the building. At halftime Western trailed by one 43 42 but it felt like Western had already grabbed the steering wheel

Third Quarter
The third was a fight. York pushed back with strong paint touches and second chances and every time it looked like Western might separate York answered. But Western kept coming right back through composed half court execution and timely steals. Emily Capretta knocked down a huge three to keep the momentum from slipping and Western's defense kept turning York's ball pressure into takeaways going the other way. By the end of the quarter Western had flipped the score and carried a 62 60 lead into the fourth

Fourth Quarter
The fourth quarter was a statement in patience and toughness. York tried to climb back with drives and kick outs but Western's guards stayed in front and the help was early. Then came the swing that felt like the moment the gym knew what was happening. Armstrong stepped into a three that splashed through and pushed the lead to five and from there Western played the clock and the moment perfectly. Cowan finished through contact and kept getting to her spots and when York tried one last push Western answered at the line and on the glass. The final minutes were controlled and professional and when the buzzer hit it was 83 75 and it felt earned.

Western won this game with pressure defense and composure. The steals were constant and the free throws were the difference maker. York had big bench production but Western's starters set the tone and the closing stretch was as clean as it gets in a game that stayed tight for three quarters

Western top five game leaders
Sydney Cowan 27 pts 3 reb 2 ast 3 stl
Renee Armstrong 25 pts 8 reb 1 ast 8 stl
Paris Alexander 11 pts 5 reb 1 stl
Natalie Van Heeswyk 4 pts 5 reb 1 blk 2 stl
Annie Balfe 3 pts 5 reb 1 ast 3 stl