X-Women basketball season preview

The 2018-19 X-Women basketball team at the recent StFX Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony with inductee and basketball alumnus Adele Belliveau
The 2018-19 X-Women basketball team at the recent StFX Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony with inductee and basketball alumnus Adele Belliveau
October 4, 2018

The 2018-19 edition of the StFX X-Women basketball team has six new faces for the upcoming season, along with seven returners from the 2017-18 roster. They also have new face behind the bench in head coach Lee Anna Osei.

A number of young athletic guards will increase the pace of play for the X-Women.

Lucia MacKay and Nalini Maharaj are two new faces to the line-up. Both players have represented Basketball Nova Scotia at provincial championships and the 2017 Canada Games. Lucia MacKay is a 5'6 point guard from New Glasgow, N.S., while Nalini Maharaj is a 5'9 athletic wing from Sydney, N.S. Griffin Lack-Shane is a 5'9 shooting guard hailing from Waterloo, Ont. that brings an ability to stretch the floor with her ability to knock it down.

Some size inside has also been added to the X-Women roster. Antigonish, N.S. native Brianna Gottschall is a second year student who will be in her first year of eligibility for the X-Women. Emma Norris from Edmonton, Alta. is a first year forward who adds size and skill to the roster. Both standing at 6'1, Gottschall and Norris bring a unique combination of rebounding, the ability to create for others, and scoring from the perimeter to the StFX style of play.  

The latest addition to the roster is Shania Graham, a 5'6 scoring guard from Saint John, N.B. who was named to the OCAA West Division all-rookie team at Redeemer College University. Graham will be a redshirt player and will suit up in the 2019 season for the X-Women.

Returning to the line-up are veteran fifth year guard Samantha Minicucci and fourth year forward Jamie McCarron. Third year athletes centers Katie MacIntosh and Leah Fahey, and guards Caroline Hrabinski and Maggie Segeren return to the court, as does 2017-18 AUS all-rookie guard Kimberley Kingsbury.

StFX will host their inagural X-Women Invitational on October 12th and 13th at Coach K Court at the StFX Oland Cenrtre. Cape Breton and UPEI will play Friday night at 6:00 pm, followed by the X-Women and MSVU at 8:00 pm. The losing teams will meet in Saturday's consolation final at 2:00 pm, followed by the championship game at 4:00 pm.

StFX opens AUS regular season play at home on Friday, November 2nd when the UNB Reds are in town for a 6:00 pm tip-off. 

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