Strickland leads Mystics to silver medal finish

(Halifax, NS) The 2025-26 ACAA Women's Championship continued as the top-seed St. Thomas Tommies downed the two-seed Mount Saint Vincent Mystics 63-46 to capture the ACAA Championship Sunday afternoon at the A. Garnet Brown Memorial Gymnasium.  

Claudia Steeves (St. John's, NL) led the way for the Tommies, paced by her sharpshooting. She finished 5/9 from three. Katie Vidito (Charlottetown, PE) notched a double-double, as she tallied 16 points while hauling down 10 rebounds. Paige LeBlanc (New Maryland, NB) added 14 points, 7 rebounds for the Tommies.  

Victoria Strickland (St. John's, NL) finished with 11 points for the Mystics. Celine Sterckel (Moncton, NB) added 9 points, 9 rebounds while Jenna Matheson (Halifax, NS) chipped in with 6 points and 7 rebounds off the bench for the Mystics. 

From the opening jump ball, the intensity was amplified. Both teams applied their defensive pressure,  which forced their opponent into turnovers. Over a minute into the first quarter, Claudia Steeves would open the scoring with a three from the right wing for the Tommies. It would be quickly countered when Keezaidra Smith (North Preston, NS) would drive through the lane for the lay-up over the defence. Early in the game, the Tommies' defence would make it difficult for the Mystics' offence, as Payton Oschypko (Upper Tantallon, NS) would swipe two steals off of Mystics' guards to extend the top-seed Tommies lead to 10-2. Midway through the quarter, the Mystics would call a timeout to regroup and attempt to shift the balance of the first quarter. It would be Jenna Matheson who responded for the Mystics, as she buried a deep three. After forcing a Tommies turnover, Matheson would locate an errant shot and beat the shot clock to narrow the deficit to three for the Mystics. In response to the Mystics' run, Paige LeBlanc scoring five points to increase the Tommies' lead to 15-7. They would carry the momentum through the quarter, taking a 21-9 lead into the first quarter break.  

Early in the second quarter, the Mystics would call on their bench, as Kelsey Matheson (Halifax, NS) would anticipate a shot attempt and promptly swatted it out of bounds. K. Matheson would continue to be a catalyst off the bench as she would catch a pass down low and rise up for the basket. The Tommies would respond as Steeves would find an opening to rise up and connect on a three-point attempt to increase their lead to 13. As the quarter continued, the Tommies continued their barrage from deep as Vidito would drain a three from the top of the key to give them a 31-17 lead. With less than two minutes left, the Tommies would continue to get offence from LeBlanc as she drove back to basket on consecutive possessions to widen the gap to 14. Steeves would connect from the right corner with 30 seconds remaining to put the top seed up by 20. They would carry the 20-point advantage into the break as they led the host Mystics 39-19. 

As the second half resumed, the Mystics would call on Celine Sterckel to open the scoring with a made lay-up. The Tommies would respond a few possessions later when Vidito would knock down another three. The Tommies would continue to push the pace in transition when their quick ball movement would lead to Michaela Hanson (New Maryland, NB) finishing an open lay-up as they led 44-21. Looking to get out their shooting slump, Victoria Strickland converted on a transition three that shifted the energy to the host sideline. In a response to the Mystics' attack, the Tommies would call on Steeves again, as she would connect on a three from the left corner to increase their lead to 23. In their following possession, Steeves would continue her hot streak as she buried her fifth three of the game. The Tommies would lead 53-28 heading into the fourth quarter. 

With the Tommies ten minutes away from claiming the ACAA Championship, they looked to close out the Mystics with their stifling defence. Meanwhile, the Mystics were looking for something to ignite a run early on, but the Tommies' defence continued to be suffocating as baskets were hard to come by early in the quarter. This would be the Tommies' blueprint throughout the game as the Mystics would struggle from the three-point line, shooting 2/27 (7.4%) up until this point in the game. The Tommies forced 24 turnovers, making it difficult for the Mystics to initiate their offence throughout the game. But midway through the quarter, the Mystics would continue to battle in this matchup, refusing to surrender. They would execute down low with some contested lay-up and then Strickland would rise up to connect from range as the pendulum would swing towards the Mystics with 4:12 remaining in the game. Ultimately, the Tommies' advantage would be too much, as Charlee Connors (Fredericton, NB) would close out the Mystics with a driving attack to the hoop, where she would convert the and-one finish to put them up 21. The Mystics would go on a late run but it would fall short as the Tommies would close out the Mystics, claiming the ACAA Championship 63-46. 

Cleve's Source for Sports Player of the Game

Katie Vidito (St. Thomas Tommies) 
Victoria Strickland (Mount Saint Vincent Mystics) 

The St. Thomas Tommies will travel to Montreal to compete in the CCAA Basketball National Championship, hosted by Dawson College. The tournament will take place from March 18-21.