Program 'weathered the storm' this season

By Corey LeBlanc

Resilience – a perfect word to describe the STFX X-Women basketball program, one that will make a long-awaited return to the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championships this weekend in Halifax.

"It feels really great," fifth-year guard Kimberly Kingsbury (Nepean, ON) says of having the opportunity to wrap up her varsity career at Scotiabank Centre.

It will be the first playoff appearance not only for her, but also the rest of the X-Women roster, one that has no other junior or senior student-athletes.

Like most other teams in the conference, the X-Women have faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years – ones created by the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, including a lost 2020-2021 season and an abbreviated 2021-2022 campaign.

Coupled with that adversity, the White and Blue student-athletes have dealt with a mid-season coaching change, not to mention a run over recent years – despite having a never-quit attitude – featuring few, if any victories.

"It has been a journey filled with ups and downs," X-Women interim head coach Tyrone Watson, who took over before the Christmas break, says.

He adds, "We have weathered the storm."

Although it hasn't necessarily translated into many wins – the X-Women finished seventh in the AUS regular season, with a 2-14 record – Watson says they have made "significant strides."

He points out that the ongoing transition – and improvement – has only taken place over a "short period of time."

"If we had been together more, we would be more polished," he offers – another example of how COVID-19 interruptions have adversely affected the development of the X-Women.

To expect huge strides – when it comes to wins and losses – over a short period of time, Watson suggests is "almost impossible."

"You can't pull a rabbit out of your hat," he says.

Nevertheless, if the players and coaches remain focussed, Watson adds, "The wins will come."

The X-Women are also benefitting from a high level of support from their fans.

'We have been getting a lot of positive feedback," Watson says.

He adds, "They are really enjoying the brand of basketball that we are playing."

Kingsbury, who averaged 14.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game – all top-10 in the conference, agrees with that sentiment.

"People are telling us that we are really fun to watch," she says, suggesting that goes "hand-in-hand" with the X-Women "having a lot of fun" playing together.

Kingsbury also praises other varsity teams, particularly X-Men football, for their support.

"It is the best that it has ever been," she says of that comradery found during home games on Coach K Court.

Kingsbury adds, "It has meant a lot to us to have everyone behind us."

That – no doubt – will continue on Thursday, when the X-Women tip off against the second-ranked Acadia Axewomen at 1 p.m. in a quarterfinal match-up.

"We have to rebound well, limit turnovers and executive offensively," Watson says, when asked what his team needs to do to be successful in the post-season.

He adds, "And, we have to put the ball in the basket," noting they have to put aside their struggles with scoring that plagued them – at times – this season.

Watson notes, against the Axewomen, "cranking up our 'D' in transition" will be a key to success.

Kingsbury says they have learned a lot from their games versus the Axewomen, including a regular-season ending 80-62 home loss. Deadlocked 36-36 at halftime, an X-Women lull in the opening minutes of the third quarter, which put them in a 20-point hole, proved to be costly.

"We were playing some of our best basketball," the X student-athlete offers of that opening 20 minutes on March 12.

In the rematch, she explains, a main goal will be to "buckle down on 'D' and try to take them [Acadia] out of their game."

Kingsbury notes that they will have to focus on "maintaining momentum."

"If we do those things, I think that we can do well," she adds.

Kingsbury, who has fashioned another AUS all-star campaign, will probably rarely leave the floor, considering she finished third in the conference in minutes played (544).

While he concedes that his X-Women are underdogs, Watson notes they will "do everything to win."

"We will not roll over – that's for sure; we will go down fighting."

Kingsbury echoed that sentiment – describing the X-Women as "really, really hungry" heading into the quarter-final match-up with Acadia.

"We are going to give it our best shot," she says.

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