Tasia tops them all

On Saturday, Tasia McKenna stood alone.

Playing her final regular season game on a court she made her own over the past five years, the Nova Scotia native buried a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, a record-setting shot that vaulted her past Kathy Harrison into top spot on the Lakehead Thunderwolves women’s basketball team’s all-time scoring list.

McKenna, who had 25 in the game, including 20 in the first half, now has 1,970 combined points with the Wolves, including OUA regular season and playoffs and non-conference games. That’s two more than Harrison, who graduated in 1993.

Although the win would have meant more to the fifth-year guard – the Wolves had to settle for a weekend split after a 71-55 loss – the record nonetheless brought her an enormous sense of pride, no doubt strengthened with her parents and brother in the crowd.

“It feels really nice,” she said. “I’m not going to lie. The girls were joking around about how I could do it on senior’s night and do it when my parents were up here. I’m pretty proud of the accomplishment. It would have definitely been nice to come out with the win over Brock, but they played a fantastic game coming up with huge offensive rebounds.”

Not one to hold a grudge, McKenna said setting the school record feels good for another reason. An all-star guard at Queen Elizabeth High School in Halifax, she drew plenty of interest from schools from afar, but little to none from Saint Mary’s or Dalhousie or other Atlantic University Sport programs.

“I know this might sound bad, but it kind of feels good because the East Coast never, ever spoke to me. But I’m actually an all right player. I told everyone I was going to come out here and prove that I was actually decent player.

“I think I actually did that and I’m pretty proud of myself. I think my parents are proud of me. My dad just gave me the thumbs up out there.”

Coach Jon Kreiner had nothing but praise for McKenna, calling her the best player to wear the Thunderwolves uniform since he starting coaching the team.

“She probably could have reached that goal last year if she wanted to, or in her third year, as good as she is,” Kreiner said, suggesting her selfless play saw her pass up points dishing off to her teammates in better position to score.

“As good as she’s become, she’s still a pass-first player, a player who wants to get her teammate the ball first. I told her tonight, let it all hang out. You’ve got to be a scorer tonight for us. When she gets into that mode, she can handle basically taking over the game.”

Graduating forward Sarah Gordon, who was honoured at halftime along with McKenna and retired former Wolves Georgia Harvey and Lisa Styles, sad it was a little sad knowing it was her last regular season game, but McKenna’s moment made up for it a bit.

“Today, before the game I said, ‘OK, 25 points, let’s do it today,’” said Gordon. “Tonight of all times (would be great). Our parents are all here, everyone’s out here to support the seniors. It was nice for her.”

That said, Gordon isn’t ready to step aside yet.

“I’d like to come off the floor one more time here,” she said, hopeful that the Wolves will be able to hang onto third place in the OUA West, not an easy task with the might Western Mustangs waiting to host them for a pair next weekend, the league’s regular-season finale.

Lakehead (13-7) and Brock are tied for third and the Wolves hold a precarious two-point lead on Laurier, who also hold a game in hand.

“If we would have won tonight we would have for sure had that home playoff game, but it happens. We have two games against Western coming up and we took a game off them last year. And they were playing really well last year, so we’re definitely going for that home playoff game this year,” Gordon said.

The Wolves and Badgers played a back-and-forth brand of ball on Saturday, but it was a game that Lakehead never left, despite McKenna’s first-half heroics that included five three-pointers.

But Brock, like so many other teams, adjusted blanketing her with Jessica Del Signore and Devyn Cunic to ensure the Wolves best weapon was kept at bay.

“Every time I drove they played great defence and had their hands up and contested all my shots. I struggled from the three a little. I had a couple of looks and couldn’t knock them down and I guess we just couldn’t get going, couldn’t go with the flow,” McKenna said.

Emily McKay led the Badgers with 17 points.