The St. F.X. X-Women basketball team will host a four-team pre-season tournament this weekend on Coach ‘K’ Court at Oland Centre.
Friday (Oct. 12), at 8 p.m., the Blue and White will play the Mount Saint Vincent Mystics.
In the opening game, at 6 p.m., the UPEI Panthers and CBU Capers will be in action.
On Saturday (Oct. 13), the consolation and championship games will get underway at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively.
“We are improving on a daily basis,” first-year X-Women head coach Lee Anna Osei said.
The 13-player roster for St. F.X. includes seven returning players, along with six newcomers.
“We are, definitely, going to play a lot faster than in years past,” Osei said, when asked about what fans can expect, when it comes to the X-Women’s style of play.
She noted the team will boast a good combination of youth, athleticism and size.
“We are going to be able to get the job done in different ways,” Osei said, describing the make-up of their line-up as “pretty dynamic.”
When it comes to returnees, she noted, they will “play, for the most part, in different roles.”
As a couple of examples, Osei said, fifth-year forward Samantha Minicucci will be taking on increased responsibilities, while junior forward Leah Fahey will be counted upon “to step up.”
The newcomers include local products Lucia MacKay of New Glasgow and Antigonish native Brianna Gottschall who, Osei noted “can do a little bit of everything.”
During training camp, the X-Women have focussed on skill enhancement, at a variety of levels, including shooting.
“We have also focussed on creating shots for themselves and their teammates,” Osei said.
There will also be plenty of movement, on offense, while taking advantage of the opportunity to get out and run for easy shots.
“We want to maximize the shots that we get,” Osei said, while noting the importance of getting to the free-throw line.
Osei said the X-Women have been working hard – both in the classroom and on the court.
“It is busy week,” she noted of the schedule the players have established.
Osei said, when it comes to academics, they come first for the student-athletes.
“That’s non-negotiable,” she added.
Osei said the goal is for each player to be “the best X-Woman they can be.”
Road wins
The X-Women tipped-off pre-season with a pair of road wins over the Holland College Hurricanes in Charlottetown.
The Blue and White used a balanced attack to earn a 67-52 victory, while Fahey led the way, with 20 points, in a 67-44 win.
