Women's Basketball | 11/8/2026 11:46:00 AM

The York Lions women's basketball team put on a show in Sault Ste. Marie, moving past a close first quarter to earn a big 83–62 win over the Algoma Thunderbirds. 

Algoma scored first after Benie Bambila hit a fast-break layup. York answered right away as Niamh Heath scored inside and Ella Okubasu made a layup and a free throw for a three-point play. Gabby Di Pietro gave York a boost midway through the quarter by stealing the ball for a fast-break layup and hitting a pull-up three-pointer to put York ahead 16–11. Algoma fought back with three-pointers from Sadie Grawbarger and inside points from Bambila. Maya Francisco hit two free throws at the end of the quarter to give Algoma a small 23–18 lead. 

York took complete control in the second quarter, outscoring Algoma 33–17. Okubasu got things going with jump shots, while Heath scored in the paint. Off the bench, Kaylah Sewell brought quick energy by drawing fouls, making four straight free throws, and scoring inside. Katie Leudy broke the game open by hitting back-to-back three-pointers, and Okubasu added another three-pointer to put York up by double digits. Late points from Marley Hayle gave the Lions a 51–40 lead at halftime. 

The Lions stayed in control after the break, holding Algoma to just 8 points in the third quarter. Heath led the inside play with putback layups off offensive rebounds, and Leudy scored off a pass under the basket. Akuach Buang added a free throw and a tough layup to make the score 60–44. Di Pietro used strong ball pressure to force steals and score on a fast break at 3:11 in the third quarter, making the score 64–46. York took a 65–48 lead into the fourth quarter. 

York started the fourth quarter strong with a 10–3 run. Leudy scored inside, and Okubasu hit a three-pointer to push the lead past 20 points at 73–51. Okubasu kept scoring with jump shots and free throws to stretch the lead to 27 points at 78–51. Heath added a late layup, and Hayle hit a three-pointer with three minutes left to give York its biggest lead at 83–53. Algoma scored late points through Alycia St Martin-Balan and a three-pointer from Taylor Randall, but York finished with a clear 83–62 win. 

LOOKING AHEAD:

York will be back in action again on Friday, November 13th when they take on the Waterloo Warriors