The Windsor Lancers women's basketball team enters the second semester as a team to watch after winning eight of their last ten games heading into the holiday break.
"Those girls we kinda built during the Covid era are now in their 4th and 5th year so we're due to play a little better and it's fun to see the improvement in the program." said head coach Chantal Vallee whose team is 8-3 and tied with Guelph for first place in the OUA West Division.
A veteran team with more athleticism, players like Kali Grootenboer have grown into bigger roles. The 3rd year centre is tied for 10th in the league with 77 rebounds and 4th with 16 blocked shots.
"It's been going well," said Grootenboer who is 4th among league leaders shooting 50%. "Doing way better finishing through contact, working around being double and triple teamed."
Grootenboer used her 6'5 frame to dominate opponents as a member of the St. Patrick's Saints high school team in Thunder Bay but admits to struggling through the extra attention she was getting in her first two seasons at the University level.
"In my first year I came in getting double teamed, was not prepared for that at all and now I feel I'm doing a lot better."
Vallee certainly thinks so. "Often in the double team she gets through it and scores. She's more solid with the ball and it's really nice to see her be able to do that. She's been a big piece of the team for sure."
The Lancers were 10-1 at the break in 2019 and finished with a 17-5 record before the pandemic shut down play. The latest cycle has produced one of the best defences in the province and is ready to flourish as the sprint to March begins Friday night at 6pm in Waterloo (5-6) followed by a visit to Laurier (4-7).
"I sense the same spirit with my team in terms of cohesion, unity and performance as I felt when we started the teams that would win championships," Vallee told Powerplay Sports. "Now it's all in and we work to continue to hold tight til playoffs. I have a great, mature and older team that is dedicated to this goal. We are right where we want to be."
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