Three Stars: Kilbreath, Jack, Osunde earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's basketball student-athlete Noelle Kilbreath is the MacEwan Athletics first star of the week after breaking the program record with 39 points on Sunday against Brandon.
Kilbreath finished the weekend with 65 points across two games against the Bobcats, leading MacEwan to a 68-63 win on Saturday – the Griffins' first triumph of the season.
Women's hockey student-athlete Jesse Jack and men's basketball's Matthew Osunde are the second and third stars, respectively.
It's the third time Kilbreath has made the Three Stars list this season, following third star honours on Nov. 7 and Jan. 9.
Jack is appearing for the first time in 2023-24, while Osunde is being honoured for the second time this season, following being named first star on Nov. 7.
With her teammates looking on, Noelle Kilbreath lines up a free throw against Brandon on Sunday. She scored a program record 39 points in the game (Railene Hooper photo).
1st STAR: Noelle Kilbreath, G, women's basketball
Calgary, AB, fourth-year, Science
Scoring in a variety of ways, Kilbreath took the team on her back in the best single game performance the program has seen since joining Canada West in 2014.
Her 39-point game vs. Brandon on Saturday broke the program record of 34 – held by Megan Wood (2014) and Kendall Lydon (2017) – for the most by a Griffin in a Canada West contest.
Kilbreath also scored a game-high 26 points in MacEwan's 68-63 win over Brandon on Friday, including draining the game-winning three-pointer with 9.3 seconds left.
For her performance, Kilbreath won the Canada West women's basketball player of the week award.
On the season, Kilbreath leads the Griffins in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game (third in CW, although she hasn't played enough game to officially qualify on their scoring leaders list), and also tops the team in assists (1.9) and steals (1.9).
Kilbreath also recently reached the prestigious 500 career points milestone for the Griffins and is now up to 571 since joining MacEwan in 2019.
Kilbreath and the Griffins will host Lethbridge on Friday (8 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m., both David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).
Jesse Jacks lines up for a faceoff against UBC on Saturday. She scored goals in each of the Griffins' games against the Thunderbirds, breaking two program records (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
2nd STAR: Jesse Jack, F, women's hockey
Stettler, AB, fifth-year, Arts
Jack posted her most memorable weekend as a member of the Griffins, scoring a goal in each of MacEwan's two games against UBC, breaking two program records in the process.
A transfer to MacEwan this season after previously consuming four years of eligibility at Olds College, Jack is savouring her final university campaign by etching her name in program history.
In Friday's 4-1 loss to UBC, she scored MacEwan's lone goal early in the first period. Her sixth tally of 2023-24 broke the record for the most goals by a Griffin in a Canada West season (previously shared by Sydney Hughson and Claire Hobbs).
In Saturday's 6-1 loss to the Thunderbirds, Jack again scored MacEwan's lone goal early in the first period. Her seventh goal of the campaign was also her 12th point, which broke the mark for the most points by a Griffin in a Canada West season (previously held by Hughson).
For the season, Jack is tied for 14th in the conference in goals and is tied for 28th in points.
She'll lead the Griffins into weekend action at Saskatchewan (Friday, 6 p.m. MT and Saturday, 4 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV).
Matthew Osunde looks for an opening against Brandon on Sunday. He came close to a triple-double both nights against the Bobcats (Railene Hooper photo).
3rd STAR: Matthew Osunde, PG, men's basketball
Morinville, AB, third-year, Science
No Griffins player has ever had a triple-double since the program joined Canada West in 2014, but Osunde came as close as anyone at MacEwan has to the feat on the weekend.
Twice.
In Friday's 80-78 overtime loss to Brandon, the third-year point guard tied for the team lead in points with 21, adding 11 rebounds and eight assists in 42 minutes of action.
In Saturday's 81-72 loss to the Bobcats, Osunde had seven points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Osunde shares the program record for most assists in a Canada West game with five others when he had nine against UBC on Dec. 1, but his efforts to net eight assists are also in the top 10 in MacEwan's Canada West men's basketball history.
His weekend assists output moved him into third all-time in Canada West career assists (152), trailing only Adonis Monfort-Palomino (185) and Deonte Doslov-Doctor (163).
For the season, Osunde leads the Griffins in scoring (13.2 points/game), assists (5.0) and steals (2.1).
The Griffins host Lethbridge on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (3 p.m., both David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).
