Some of the best women’s university basketball action in the nation will take place Dec. 29-31 when the Stingers host the annual Reebok Invitational Tournament at Concordia Gym.
“It’s the best tournament in the country,” said Concordia head coach Keith Prruden. “We have a very strong draw that includes two top ranked teams. All the teams are very competitive. All the games will be good.”
The Stingers are in first place in the Quebec conference with a 3-0 win-loss record. Joining the hosts are the Carleton Ravens, ranked No. 4 in the CIS, and the Alberta Pandas who are the seventh-ranked team.
Rounding out the field are the Memorial Sea-Hawks, the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, the Western Ontario Mustangs, the McGill Martlets and the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack.
There will be four games each day with the winners from Dec. 29 advancing to the championship side of the bracket and the losers playing in a consolation round.
The matchups on Day 1 are as follows: McGill vs. Memorial at 2 p.m., Alberta vs. Western Ontario at 4 p.m., Concordia vs. UNB at 6 p.m. and Carleton vs. Thompson Rivers at 8 p.m.
The Stingers’ tournament is one of 39 Shoot for the Cure events CIS universities are hosting to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and other related cancer charities.
Proceeds from the sale of tournament T-shirts (compliments of Reebok) and a portion of the Concordia gate will be donated.
This CIS Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) initiative is in its fifth straight season. The Shoot for the Cure campaign has been an overwhelming success in its first four years with close to $400,000 in donations raised.
At the 2011 CIS championship last March in Windsor, Ont., the WBCA presented a cheque for $104,763 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, surpassing the $94,650 collected in 2009-10 and the amounts from the 2008-09 ($81,512) and 2007-08 ($50,320) seasons.
