The Simon Fraser University Clan women’s basketball team heads into this weekend Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship as the fourth seed. Whether the team can elevate its standing could depend on the defensive capabilities of Port Coquitlam’s Ozioma Nwabuko.
The 5’11” Riverside grad, and two-time GNAC defensive player of the year, will have her work cut out for her when the Clan opens the tournament tonight in Seattle, WA., against the Central Washington Wildcats.
The Wildcats enter the tournament with momentum from a four game winning streak, and seven victories in its last nine games. The team also leads the conference in free throw percentage and three-pointers.
Earlier this week, Nwabuko was named to the GNAC’s second all-star team. Teammate Jessica Jones made the first team while senior Tayler Drynan was an honourable mention.
Nwabuko ranked fourth in the conference in steals and averaged 8.9 point and 5.8 rebounds per regular season game.
The Clan faces top-ranked Alaska Anchorage on Friday, at 7:30 p.m. The GNAC title game will be played Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Townsend to nationals
Coquitlam’s Addy Townsend will lead SFU’s contingent of athletes competing at the NCAA Div. II indoor track and field championships in Birmingham, Ala., March 13 and 14.
Townsend will compete in the 800m race as well as part of the women’s distance medley relay team. She’s currently ranked second amongst all female 800m runners in Div. II with a time of 2:07.74. She recently won the conference title by finishing more than four seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.
In the relay event, Townsend will be part of a team that dominated its conference rivals this season and set the fifth fastest time in Div. II.
