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Going international

Apparently they can shoot in England. One might make that judgment watching Kelsey Bardsley play basketball.
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British import Kelsey Bardsley had 14 points on Saturday night, not enough to help the Lakehead Thunderwolves overcome visiting Winnipeg.

Apparently they can shoot in England.

One might make that judgment watching Kelsey Bardsley play basketball.

The 20-year-old junior college transfer student hit four-of-six three pointers on Saturday night, and collected a team-high 14 points, although in a losing effort. Her Lakehead Thunderwolves made 26 turnovers and were just 8-17 from the free-throw line, falling 74-67 to the visiting Winnipeg Wesmen in front of a raucous Thunderdome crowd.

“It feels pretty good, but everyone contributed,” said Bardsley, who spent time with the Manchester Mystics and played with Britain’s entry at the 2009 under 20 European championship.

Bardsley averaged 6.7 points a game playing with some of Europe’s best young talent, then spent two seasons south of the border, where she made a connection to Thunder Bay, ultimately altering her basketball future.

“After I graduated (from junior college) I decided I wanted a change. So I decided to choose Canada. My boyfriend played for the Border Cats and he told me about the school. So I emailed coach (Jon) Kreiner and things got good from there,” said Bardsley, who also had four rebounds and seven assists, helping the Wolves to fill a hole at point guard left when LU’s all-time leading scorer Tasia McKenna graduated.

The boyfriend was pitcher Paul Barton, a reliever with the 2010 Border Cats, a native of British Columbia who met Bardsley at Panola Junior College in Texas.

Bardsley averaged about 4.2 points a game at Panola, and said she loves Thunder Bay.

There’s a good reason why, and it’s not the threat of winter.

“It feels like family, and that’s all I care about, family, family, family,” she said.

Kreiner said there was no doubt his first-year guard, in her third year of eligibility, was the player of the game against the Wesmen.

He knows he’s a little lucky to land her too.

“Why she didn’t make it where she wanted to make it in the States is her size and her strength. Those are her limitations and she’s not lightning quick. But she’s a really good shooter and a smart player. She’s a really good passer and it’s just trying to find her a niche on this team,” said Kreiner, who had her on the court for about half the game.

“We’re trying out different things and trying to figure out how our team is going to work.”

Cutting the turnovers and making smarter shots is a start, Kreiner said.

“They were a really tough match-up in the perimeter for us. They’ve got two really big guards, (Stephanie) Kleysen and (Amy) Ogidan. Ogidan is one of the top players in the country. She scored tonight, but from the foul line. She hit threes, but we wanted (Ogidan) to take threes. She was 5-for-17 from the field. That’s what gave us a chance to come back in the game.”

Ogidan led all players with 22 points and helped Winnipeg take two-point second quarter lead and boost it to 19 before the quarter was out, hitting a pair of free throws to complete a 12-0 Winnipeg run.

The Wolves closed the half with eight straight points of their own, and scored the first basket of the second half, but the Wesmen owned a 12-point edge after 30 minutes.

Lakehead outscored Winnipeg 25-21 in the fourth quarter, but despite pulling to within six on a Bardsley three-pointer, time ran out on the comeback.

Beyond the arc: The Wolves have lost second-year guard Darcy Zinck for the season. The Nova Scotia native suffered a lower body injury in practice a week-and-a-half ago. The 5-foot-8 guard was an OUA West all-rookie team member in her freshman season a year ago.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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