KINGSTON, Ont. - The stars were out in Kingston on Saturday night at the Athletics & Recreation Centre (ARC) as the best Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's basketball players showcased their skills on the hardwood at Queen's in front of a near capacity crowd.

The two OUA finals coaches, Andy Sparks of the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carly Clarke of the Ryerson Rams led each OUA team as head coaches. Like last season, coaches were given the opportunity to draft their teams, with each team consisting of OUA all-stars and all-rookies pitting Team Sparks against Team Clarke for the game Saturday night.

The game itself was just one of many events for the all-stars over the course of the weekend in Kingston.  On Friday evening, Robyn Pearson from Queen's and Claire Kenney from McMaster spoke at the JUEL Banquet.  Saturday afternoon the OUA All-Stars took part in various community initiatives at the Kingston YMCA to help grow the game of basketball in Ontario.

GAME FLOW
The game started off with a quick pace and the two teams trading hoops. Kenney from nearby Gananoque, Ontario started off hot for Team Clarke putting up the opening six points for her squad. The CIS and OUA MVP Keneca Pingue-Giles got the offence going for Team Sparks with a nice up and under lay-in for two. The lead stretched to 16-8 thanks to a jumper from Varsity Blue Abena Addo before Ryerson Ram Sofia Paska got herself two points in the paint and the quarter closed with Team Clarke trailing 16-10.

In the second Queen's post Pearson went to work. The OUA leader in rebounds this past season took the lead for Team Sparks notching a pair of buckets including a jump shot from just outside the foul line.

Carleton post Heather Lindsay grabbed a rebound and quickly got the ball upcourt to cross-town rival Gee-Gee Krista Van Slingerland, who connected on a jumper pushing the Team Sparks lead to nine. Melissa Tatti from the Brock Badgers hit her first of two three-pointers in the second quarter to push the lead to 31-17 but Queen's fifth-year Jenny Wright responded with a jumper followed by a three-pointer from Western Mustang Mackenzie Puklicz to cut the Team Clarke deficit back down to nine.

Tatti found Pearson on a fast-break and then Pingue-Giles set up Tatti for a buzzer-beating three to make it a 38-24 lead for Team Sparks at the half.

In the third Pingue-Giles continued to push ahead Team Sparks. She scored four points as Team Sparks went on an 8-0 run to start the second half taking a commanding 46-24 lead. Wright and Puklicz looked to shots from beyond the arc to get Team Clarke back in the game as they connected on back to back three's cutting the lead to 14.

Team Sparks continued to extend their lead in the fourth responding to every Team Clarke bucket with one of their own. Catherine Traer from the Gee-Gees and Bridget Atkinson from the Gryphons scored a pair of buckets to close out the game and the win for Team Sparks 77-57.

With 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals Pingue-Giles was named the MVP of the game.

FINAL SAY
"I think it's wonderful that the OUA has this opportunity for the female basketball players," said Pingue-Giles after the win. "Today is to showcase how much talent we have in the OUA and we had a very successful season. It was great that I had a chance for my family to come watch and the players in the JUEL league because they are the future of the OUA."

BY THE NUMBERS
9th - Annual OUA women's basketball All-Star game
13 - Schools represented
5 - OUA major award winners took part
1 - CIS and OUA player of the year, Keneca Pingue-Giles
3 - Queen's Gaels taking part: Robyn Pearson, Jenny Wright and Myriam Fontaine