CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The UPEI Panthers women’s basketball team is treating the pre-season just like the regular season.
“We’re trying to ramp up our exhibition schedule to where every game is an important game,” second-year head coach Matt Gamblin said Thursday. “We’re trying to hit the ground running as much as we can. Every game, even though it’s ‘exhibition season’, really matters.”
The Panthers will play their second game of the pre-season today as part of the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament at UPEI. They opened the preseason by defeating Lethbridge 64-60 Saturday in Halifax. The Panthers outscored the Pronghorns 22-10 in the final quarter to secure victory without veteran guard Jenna Mae Ellsworth, who was held out for precautionary reasons but will play this weekend.
“Lethbridge is a good team, so it was a good measuring stick for both of us,” Gamblin said.
UPEI went 17-3 last season to finish second in the regular season. they lost by four to Acadia in the semifinal when Hailey McDonald scored 51 points for the Axewomen.
The team lost Jane McLaughlin, Kimeshia Henry, Julie Campbell and Tamara Trimm from last year’s squad. This year’s roster is a blend of players who are very experienced and very young.
“The mix has been great,” Gamblin said. “The team chemistry is very good and it really allows the young ones to kind of speed up their learning with a good corps of returners.”
There won’t be any big speech to the rookies getting their first game on home court this weekend as Gamblin will let them go out and do what they have done for years – play basketball.
“We put in so much time in practice, it’s just a matter of going out and executing,” he said.
Gamblin sees a roster that is more athletic and versatile than a year ago. He said the plan is to continue to speed up the pace they play at while remaining under control.
“We’re excited to get going and obviously we’re excited to play in front of the fans and introduce this year’s team to the community,” the bench boss said.
Related link:
• 2019-20 UPEI Panthers women's roster
Schedule
A look at the women’s schedule for the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament at UPEI.
Today
2 p.m. – Cape Breton vs. Ottawa.
6 p.m. – Waterloo vs. UPEI.
Saturday
2 p.m. – Cape Breton vs. Waterloo.
6 p.m. – Ottawa vs. UPEI.
Sunday
9 a.m. – Ottawa vs. Waterloo.
1 p.m. – Cape Breton vs. UPEI.
