Teen,
     
     
      ELIMINATIONS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Inthe
      tournament
      opener,
      U.N.B.
      were
      the
      early
     
     
      favorite
      over
      X
      and
      they
      started
      out
      strongly,
     
     
      taking
      an
      early
      lead
      and
      holding
      it
      throughout
     
     
      most
      of
      the
      first
      half.
      However,
      St.
      FX
      caught
     
     
      fire
      thanks
      to
      their
      two
      top
      guns,
      A.U.A.A.
      Most
     
     
      Valuable
      Player
      Theresa
      MacCuish
      and
      Second
     
     
      Teain
      All-Star
      Melita
      Belyea.
      The
      crowd
      of
      800
     
     
      watched
      the
      underdog
      Xaverians
      mounta
      come-
     
     
      back
      late.in
      the
      first
      half
      and
      surpass
      U.N.B.
     
     
      after
      the
      buzzer
      had
      sounded.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Xaverians
      carried
      their
      momentum
     
     
      into
      the
      second
      halfand
      began
      to
      pull
      away
      from
     
     
      U.N.B.,
      grabbing
      leads
      of
      up
      to
      15
      points
     
     
      throughout
      most
      of
      the
      second
      period.
      But
     
     
      U.N.B.
      would
      not
      quit
      and
      rallied
      to
      narrow
      the
     
     
      lead
      to
      six
      late
      in
      the
      game.
      With
      a
      minute
      and
     
     
      a
      half
      remaining
      St.
      FX,
      with
      an
      80-74
      lead,
     
     
      were
      on
      the
      verge
      of
      an
      upset.
      U.N.B.
      coach
     
     
      Claire
      Mitton
      called
      a
      timeout
      in
      hopes
      of
     
     
      plotting
      a
      plan
      that
      would
      carry
      her
      team
      to
     
     
      victory.
      U.N.B.
      fought
      furiously
      in
      the
      dying
     
     
      seconds
      of
      the
      game,
      but
      fell
      short
      in
      their
     
     
      come-back
      and
      finished
      their
      season
      on
      the
     
     
      wrong
      side
      of
      an
      86-84
      score.
      The
      upset
      was
     
     
      complete
      and
      the
      Red
      Bloomers’
      (who
      will
      also
     
     
      lose
      their
      name
      this
      year,
      ‘‘Red
      Bloomers’’
      wil!
     
     
      be
      replaced
      by
      the
      very
      imaginative
      ‘Varsity
     
     
      Reds’’)
      three-year
      reign
      as
      A.U.A.A.
      champs
     
     
      was
      terminated.
     
    

    
     
      With
      the
      defending
      champs
      gone,
      there
     
     
      would
      be
      a
      new
      champion
      this
      year
      and
      one
     
     
      finalist
      was
      already
      decided.
      The
      second
      final-
     
     
      ist
      would
      be
      decided
      in
      game
      two.
     
    

    
     
      With
      the
      Sports
      Centre
      crowd
      packed
      with
     
     
      well
      over
      1,300
      screaming
      fans,
      the
      second
     
     
      semi-final
      game
      between
      the
      U.P.E.I.
      Panthers
     
     
      and
      the
      Dalhousie
      Tigers
      began.
      These
      two
     
     
      teams
      were
      no
      strangers
      to
      each
      other.
      They
      had
     
     
      met
      four
      times
      previously
      with
      the
      Panthers
     
     
      winning
      each
      of
      the
      four
      games.
      But
      the
      Pan-
     
     
      thers
      were
      not
      overconfident,
      this
      was
      the
     
     
      playoffs-
      one
      bad
      game
      and
      you’re
      out.
     
    

    
     
      Heather
      Campbell
      started
      things
      off
      with
      a
     
     
      three
      point
      shot
      and
      quickly
      added
      another
      for
     
     
      an
      early
      6-2
      U.P.E.L.
      lead;
      however,
      the
      Tigers
     
     
      remained
      close
      throughout
      much
      of
      the
      first
     
     
      half,
      keeping
      their
      deficit
      to
      a
      minimum.
      In
      the
     
     
      second
      half,
      the
      Panthers’
      superior
      skills
      were
     
     
      too
      much
      for
      the
      Tigers
      and
      they
      began
      to
      pull
     
     
      away
      from
      the
      overwhelmed
      Dalhousie
      team.
     
     
      Soon,
      the
      Tigers
      were
      forced
      to
      make
      despera-
     
     
      tion
      shots,
      which
      were
      easily
      blocked,
      and
      the
     
     
      Panthers
      cruised
      their
      way
      to
      an
      easy
      83-59
      win
     
     
      and
      eazaed
      the
      right
      to
      appear
      with
      St.
      FX
      in
      the
     
     
      league
      final,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      SHOWDOWN
     
    
   
   
    
     
      With
      the
      Final
      Four
      now
      the
      Final
      Two,
      the
     
     
      linalists
      took
      to
      the
      court
      before
      a
      season-high
     
     
      cow
      of
      over
      1,500.
      The
      Panthers
      entered
      the
     
     
      ‘Nal
      game
      full
      of
      confidence
      and
      also
      as
      the
     
     
      Pregame
      favorites.
      They
      came
      into
      the
      game
     
    
   
   
    
     
      riding
      an
      eight-game
      winning
      streak
      and
      they
     
    
   
   
    
     
      were
      playing
      the
      game
      on
      their
      home
      court,
      a
     
     
      place
      where
      they
      had’
      only
      lost
      once
      all
      year;
     
     
      however,
      that
      one
      loss
      had
      been
      handed
      to
      them
     
     
      by
      St.
      FX.
     
    

    
     
      After
      a
      slow,
      cautious,
      beginning
      in
      which
     
     
      there
      was
      no
      scoring
      for
      the
      first
      two
      minutes,
     
     
      St.
      FX,
      much
      to
      the
      delight
      of
      the
      two
      dozen
      St.
     
     
      FX
      fans
      in
      attendance,
      sunk
      the
      game’s
      first
     
     
      basket.
      U.P.E.I.
      quickly
      tied
      the
      score,
      arousing
     
     
      their
      own
      fans
      and
      the
      two
      teams
      battled
      evenly
     
     
      for
      awhile
      with
      both
      teams
      staying
      close
      to
      one
     
     
      another.
      But
      midway
      through
      the
      half
      X
      began
     
    
   
   
    
     
      gradually
      increasing
      their
      lead,
      thanks
      to
      sev-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      eral
      three
      point
      shots,
      perfect
      foul
      shooting
      and
     
     
      a
      stingy
      defence
      which
      the
      Lady
      Panthers
      could
     
     
      not
      seem
      to
      penetrate.
      The
      Panthers
      tried
      to
     
     
      keep
      as
      close
      as
      they
      could,
      they
      did
      not
      allow
     
     
      St.
      FX
      to
      get
      too
      far
      ahead
      at
      first,
      but
      the
     
     
      persistent
      St.
      FX
      offence
      was
      working
      well
      and
     
     
      the
      lead
      eventually
      swelled
      to
      13
      points.
      The
     
     
      Lady
      Panthers
      did
      manage
      to
      slow
      X
      down
      a
      bit
     
     
      and
      finished
      the
      half
      with
      some
      momentum.
     
     
      They
      narrowed
      the
      lead
      by
      the
      end
      of
      the
      half
      to
     
     
      43-38,
      showing
      everyone
      that
      they
      were
      not
     
     
      dead
      yet.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      COMEBACKS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Panthers
      had
      mounted
      several
      come-backs
     
     
      all
      year,
      including
      a
      huge
      come-back
      against
      St.
     
     
      FX
      where
      they
      rebounded
      from
      a
      21
      point
     
     
      deficit
      to
      win
      the
      game.
      Since
      they
      had
      some
     
     
      momentum
      at
      the
      end
      of
      the
      game
      it
      was
      ex-
     
     
      pected
      the
      Lady
      Panthers
      would
      come
      out
      fly-
     
     
      ing
      and
      tear
      apart
      the
      X
      lead.
      But
      the
      second
      half
     
     
      began
      a
      lot
      like
      the
      first.
      It
      was
      slow
      with
      not
     
     
      much
      scoring.
      When
      the
      baskets
      started
      to
      go
      in,
     
     
      though,
      they
      were
      from
      X,
      not
      the
      Panthers,
      and
     
     
      things
      stared
      to
      get
      tense:
      The
      Xaverians
      once
     
     
      again
      built
      their
      lead
      back
      to
      ten
      points
      and
      led
     
     
      50-40
      a
      few
      minutes
      into
      the
      period.
      Then,
     
     
      almost
      on
      cue,
      the
      Panthers
      came
      to
      life.
      They
     
     
      began
      to
      trade
      basket
      for
      basket
      with
      X
      and
     
     
      slowly
      started
      to
      force
      the
      Xaverians
      into
      turno-
     
     
      vers
      which
      they
      capitalized
      on.
      The
      Panthers
     
     
      gradually
      whittled
      the
      lead
      back
      down
      to
      two
     
     
      points.
      Finally,
      after
      what
      seemed
      like
      an
      eter-
     
     
      nity,
      the
      Panthers
      tied
      the
      game.
      But
      X
      contin-
     
     
      ued
      to
      play
      well
      and
      once
      again
      regained
      the
     
     
      lead.
      But
      the
      Panthers
      were
      on
      a
      roll
      and
      for
      the
     
     
      first
      time
      since
      the
      beginning
      of
      the
      game,
      they
     
     
      had
      the
      lead.
      Although
      X
      tied
      the
      game
      a
      few
     
     
      times,
      this
      lead
      was
      one
      they
      would
      not
      relin-
     
     
      quish.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Panthers
      managed
      to
      grab
      a
      four
      point
     
     
      lead-
      their
      biggest
      in
      the
      game
      so
      far
      and
      the
     
     
      teams
      seemed
      to
      trade
      baskets
      as
      the
      Panther
     
     
      lead
      fluctuated
      between
      2-5
      points.
      As
      the
      game
     
     
      wore
      on
      X
      seemed
      to
      get
      frustrated
      and
      dis-
     
     
      tracted
      as
      the
      Panthers
      made
      good
      on
      most
      of
     
     
      their
      shots.
      X
      began
      to
      turn
      the
      ball
      over
      regu-
     
     
      larly
      and
      their
      shooting
      went
      cold.
      The
      Pan-
     
     
      thers,
      showing
      nomercy,
      continued
      with
      relent-
     
     
      less
      pressure
      and
      built
      upa
      seven
      point
      lead
      with
     
     
      only
      a
      few
      minutes
      left
      in
      the
      game.
      The
      Pan-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ¥S
     
     
      thers,
      as
      the
      clock
      wound
      down,
      seemed
      to
      have
     
     
      things
      in
      control
      and
      the
      crowd
      was
      sensing
      a
     
     
      victory,
      but
      a
      huge
      three
      point
      shot
      by
      X’s
     
     
      Amanda
      Wilcox
      put
      St.
      FX
      right
      back
      in
      the
     
     
      game.
      The
      struggle
      continued
      as
      the
      lead
      varied
     
     
      between
      2-3
      points.
      The
      minutes
      seemed
      to
      take
     
     
      an
      eternity
      to
      pass
      as
      the
      visitors
      brought
      the
     
     
      lead
      back
      down
      to
      two.
      But,
      with
      the
      score
      89-
     
     
      87,
      acouple
      of
      foul
      shots
      by
      Lori
      Knickle
      with
     
     
      just
      seconds
      remaining
      brought
      the
      lead
      back
      up
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      to
      four.
      As
      the
      Sports
      Centre
      filled
      with
      deafen-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ing
      noise
      the
      Xaverians
      tried
      in
      vain
      to
      move
      up
     
     
      the
      court
      and
      score
      and
      the
      Panthers,
      staging
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
      .
      huge
      come-back
      in
      the
      second
      half
      in
      which
     
    
   
   
    
     
      they
      scored
      a
      whopping
      53
      points,
      held
      on
      to
     
     
      win
      the
      A.U.A.A.’s
      top
      prize.
     
    

    
     
      U.P.E.I.
      now
      moves
      on
      to
      the
      Nationals
      in
     
     
      Victoria,
      British
      Columbia
      as
      the
      Atlantic
      Ca-
     
     
      nadian
      representative.
      As
      they
      leave
      for
      the
     
     
      Nationals
      for
      the
      second
      consecutive
      year
      (they
     
     
      were
      the
      host
      team
      last
      year
      when
      the
      Nationals
     
     
      were
      held
      at
      U.P.E.I.)
      they
      bring
      with
      them
      a
     
     
      nine
      game
      winning
      streak
      and
      a
      number
      nine
     
     
      ranking,
      which
      will
      undoubtedly
      improve
      when
     
     
      the
      rankings
      are
      released.
      The
      Lady
      Panthers
     
     
      will
      have
      their
      hands
      full
      as
      they
      tangle
      with
     
     
      some
      of
      the
      nation’s
      best
      women’s
      basketball
     
     
      teams,
      but
      the
      A.U.A.A.
      and
      the
      University
      of
     
     
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
      will
      be
      well
      represented.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tournament
     
    
   
   
    
     
      e
     
     
      me
     
     
      Notes
     
     
      --U.P.E.I’s
      Lori
      Knickle,
      playing
      her
      last
      year
     
     
      at
      U.P.E.I.,
      took
      MVP
      honors
      with
      39
      points
      in
     
     
      the
      tournament.
     
     
      --U.P.E.I.’s
      Kelly
      Copeland
      and
      rookie
      Hilary
     
     
      Watson
      were
      named
      to
      the
      tournament
      all-star
     
     
      team.
     
     
      --Rounding
      out
      the
      all-star
      team
      were
      Melita
     
     
      Belyea
      and
      Theresa
      McCuish
      of
      St.
      FX,
      and
      Jill
     
     
      Jackson
      of
      U.N.B.
     
     
      --U.P.E.I.
      coach
      Dave
      McNeil
      was
      named
     
     
      A.U.A.A.
      coach
      of
      the
      year.
     
     
      --The
      Nationals
      begin
      next
      weekend
      in
      BC.
     
     
      --Crowds
      at
      the
      Sports
      Centre
      during
      the
      tour-
     
     
      nament
      were
      outstanding.
      The
      first
      semi-final
     
     
      game
      between
      U.N.B.
      and
      St.
      FX
      drew
      800.
      The
     
     
      second
      game
      with
      Dal
      and
      U.P.E.I.
      drew
      over
     
     
      1,300.
      The
      Championship
      Game
      drew
      over
     
     
      1,500
      the
      largest
      crowd
      of
      the
      year
      for
      any
     
     
      U.P.E.L.
      sporting
      event.
     
     
      --The
      crowd
      of
      over
      1,500
      is
      also
      believed
      to
      be
     
     
      the
      largest
      crowd
      for
      women’s
      basketball
      this
     
     
      year
      in
      Canada.
     
     
      --Victoria,
      BC
      can
      only
      dream
      of
      getting
      these
     
     
      kinds
      of
      crowds
      for
      the
      Nationals.
      The
      Nation-
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      als
      may
      return
      to
      U.P.E.I.
      sooner
      then
      sgme
     
    
   
   
    
     
      +L:.1-