Gee-Gees overcome unbeaten Ravens to claim Critelli Cup in electric OUA final
March 10, 2025
By Isabella Disley
The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees won their first Ontario women’s basketball title since 2012 when they handed the host Carleton University Ravens their first defeat of the season in a 70-61 contest on Mar. 8 at the Ravens Nest. Photo: Marc Lafleur / Carleton Ravens
The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees had experienced a home-court letdown and a Capital Hoops Classic heartbreaker, but their disappointments earlier this season against the Carleton University Ravens evaporated into euphoria in the rivals’ first-ever Critelli Cup meeting.
The reigning national-champion Ravens – previously unbeaten, including 81-59 and 58-54 wins over uOttawa – rallied from large deficits several times in the Ontario University Athletics women’s championship game, but the Gee-Gees responded each time to secure a 70-61 victory on Saturday evening at a packed Ravens Nest.
Gee-Gees senior Natsuki Szczokin cutting a piece of the net as a souvenir. Photo: Isabella Disley
“I’m at a high right now. It’s amazing seeing everyone when the clock is running down, the bench standing, coaches standing, everyone’s screaming, the crowd behind our bench, all cheering for us,” reflected senior Gee-Gees point guard Natsuki Szczokin. “It was honestly a surreal moment and I’m so glad I was able to do this in my last year and to do it in this big of a crowd was honestly an amazing experience.”
Szczokin earned player of the game honours in her final match in Ontario as she dropped 22 points, many to snuff out Carleton runs. “Amazing,” “spectacular” and “committed” were just some of the descriptors she used to characterize her Gee-Gees.
“There’s really not enough words to describe what they mean to me,” Szczokin added.
The Ravens had been the top-ranked team in Canada for all of 2025 after they trounced the Gee-Gees at uOttawa. Visiting the Ravens Nest – where their season ended 75-51 in last year’s semi-final – motivated the Gee-Gees to pull off the upset.
“I think we use that as fuel knowing that they are number one. We want to show the country that we can play against Carleton and any other team in the nation,” Szczokin underlined. “I think having this as proof really brings us more motivation.”
Fellow senior Gee-Gee Allie McCarthy agreed that the history, and meeting their top rival, made the showdown for the Ontario title feel “that much bigger and that much more meaningful for us.”
“Especially with losing twice this year to them,” signalled McCarthy, who scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the final. “It was kind of what we wanted to do all year and doing it in this game was extra special.”
Gee-Gees seniors Allie McCarthy and Natsuki Szczokin fight a Raven for ball possession. Photo: Isabella Disley
Rose-Anne Joly won her first OUA championship as Gee-Gees head coach and will return to the U Sports national championships for the first time since she helped uOttawa to a national bronze medal in 2019 as an assistant.
“I’m not going to lie, it feels good to cut the net in the Ravens Nest,” Joly smiled, referencing the championship game tradition. “It’s good to know that I’ll be sleeping in my bed tonight with my medal of course.”
The contest could not have provided a better celebration for International Women’s Day, with a sold-out crowd, players battling for loose balls with fire and ferocity, and two female coaches – previously hired under female athletic directors at both local universities – facing off with full intensity, and full respect.
“Dani is, for a reason, coach of the year twice in a row now and I’m just looking up to her,” Joly said, referencing her Ravens counterpart.
Dani Sinclair acknowledged the historical significance of the meeting between the two strong local basketball programs.
“It was a great crowd tonight, great crowds for them as well with the limited seats,” Sinclair highlighted. “It was great support from our community. It’s always a fun game to be a part of.”
The Gee-Gees women’s basketball team and fans cheer on their team’s 2025 Critelli Cup victory. Photo: Isabella Disley
She also tipped her hat to the Gee-Gees’ star.
“(Szczokin) was obviously great herself and there’s a huge amount of focus on her. She hit some tough shots and moved the ball,” Sinclair noted. “Other people started making plays because she’s a leader and a fifth-year player that understands how to do that.”
Both Carleton and uOttawa had already booked their place in the Mar. 13-16 final eight tournament in Vancouver. The Gee-Gees are seeded second and the Ravens third to setup the possibility of another showdown in the national semi-finals. They’ll face Laval and Bishop’s respectively in the quarters.
Sinclair said that “pissed off” will be the Ravens’ mentality going in.
“I got fire in my belly every day, whether we win or lose, so there’s always something as a coach to be fired up about,” Sinclair indicated.
The Gee-Gees made it 2-for-2 in Ontario basketball championships later the same evening down the canal at uOttawa as their men’s team topped Queen’s 95-87 to win the Wilson Cup. The Gee-Gees men will also travel to Vancouver and will enter their nationals as the top seed, with Concordia booked as their quarter-final opponent.