More than a few times this season as practice is wrapping up, she’ll grab a ball, head to a basket and go all “Hoosiers” in her mind.
It’s the final moments of the national college title game. Mohawk versus, well, whoever. That’s not important. The ball is in her hands. Her side is down one point. The crowd is going bonkers. The clock is winding down.
“Three, two one ... ,” Rachel Gaunzon quietly says to herself as she releases the shot just as an imaginary horn sounds.
If dreams come true, that exact situation will play out in real life this weekend. The Canadian College Athletic Association women’s championship opens Wednesday at Mohawk College, which gives the 22-year-old guard and her Mountaineer teammates the rarest of opportunities. Namely, winning a national crown on their home court.
“This is going to be a huge culmination of our efforts,” says head coach Mihai Raducanu.
The tournament features champions from the Pacific-Western conference, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic plus two wild cards. And Mohawk. Games start at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
Of course, nothing of value comes easy. And for the Mountaineers, this is absolutely not going to be simple.
Raducanu only took over the team at the start of this year after the previous head coach left to take a position in university ball. That’s not a lot of time to implement systems and really build something. And honestly, this year has been a little up and down.
“It’s definitely been a learning year,” Gaunzon says.
The 5-11 regular-season record doesn’t necessarily look tremendous. But what’s hidden in that is the three-game winning streak right at the end of the regular season. Suggesting things have come together at exactly the right time.
Another thing that’s going to make this tough?
Mohawk’s first game is at 8 p.m. The prime-time slot. It’s opponent in the quarter-final is just the second-ranked team in the country. The Vancouver Island University Mariners are 15-2 this season. They outscore their opponents by an average of 20 points.
It’s a massive challenge. If the Mountaineers can somehow win that one, they’ll likely run into the Alberta champion Red Deer Queens next. They’re just 15-6 and bringing a 15-game winning streak to Hamilton.
“A hundred per cent it’s going to be hard,” Raducanu says. “We’re going to have to have almost a perfect game.”
But that’s exactly what they’ve been working toward all season.
This team hasn’t hidden from what’s coming or pretended to ignore it. Rather, it’s embraced the tournament that’s been waiting at the end of the road. The players and coaches talk about it a lot and have all year. The obstacles and the possibilities.
Practice after practice, Raducanu has tried to create situations that’ll simulate the pressure and stakes that come with a moment like this. Stuff like picking one player to hit a free throw with consequences attached. Make it and practice is over. You’re a hero among your teammates. Miss and the running begins. Which isn’t nearly as popular.
The coach has also spent plenty of time talking about positive things and sharing stories about successes. He’s reminded them again and again that sports is filled with tales of underdogs pulling out unexpected victories.
“It’s not unheard of for someone to perform on this stage,” he says.
Mohawk has been here before. In both 1986 and 1990, the school claimed bronze at nationals. Now it gets another crack at it. With home-court advantage which is anything but insignificant. The players are as ready as they’ll be.
On top of everything, they have Gaunzon prepped. The third-year civil engineering student is the team’s leading scorer. And she’s taken all those clutch shots to prepare for the moment, should it arrive.
Out of curiousity, how many of her last-second, game-winning, fictional buzzer-beaters have gone in?
“Quite a few,” she says.
Scott Radley is a Hamilton-based columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sradley@thespec.com
Women’s college championships
Where — Mohawk College
Wednesday Schedule
1 p.m. — Mount Saint Vincent (Nova Scotia) vs. Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Quebec)
3 p.m. — Augustana (Alberta) vs. Humber (Ontario)
6 p.m. — Dawson (Quebec) vs. Red Deer (Alberta)
8 p.m. — Vancouver Island University (B.C.) vs. Mohawk (Ontario)
The semifinals are at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday. The championship game is Saturday at 7:30. There are other consolation and bronze-medal games. For the full schedule, go to www.ccaa.ca/sports/wbkb/2022-23c/schedule
Tickets — Day passes are $15. A tournament pass is $30.
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