The 2023-2024 season’s Battle of Waterloo in PAC was filled with two exciting basketball games and lots of fun for the fans.
The women’s team was up first against the Wilfrid Laurier’s Golden Hawks. The Waterloo Warriors were off to a shaky start, ending the first quarter with only 9 points compared to the Golden Hawks 19. The team quickly bounced back in the second quarter, scoring 24 points. They held strong throughout the rest of the game, scoring 22 points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth quarter, ending with a final score of 69-57, a Warrior win. The game’s top scorers were #15 Summer Pahl with 20 points, and #8 Giselle Poblete with 16 points.
At the beginning of the men’s game, fifth-year athlete Ethan Andrew received the Mike Moser Memorial Award. According to UW’s website, the Mike Moser Memorial Award is given to a student-athlete “who displays exceptional athletic talent and contribution to their team as well as academic success.”
The game was close right from the start, with the Warriors scoring only 1 more point than the Golden Hawks at the end of the first quarter, and both teams tying for points at halftime. By the end of the third quarter, the Warriors were up 1 point, with 45 points compared to the Golden Hawks 44. Unfortunately, the Golden Hawks pulled ahead, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter, compared to the Warriors 16, ending with the Warriors team losing 61-64. The Warriors top scorers were #23 Cristian Craciun with 22 points, and #2 Raf Llorin with 11 points.
There was also a mini Battle of Waterloo during the “Halftime Bump” competition at the men’s game, with one student from each school going head to head to win a gift card to Kelsey’s Roadhouse. Warrior Football player Isaac White ended up winning the prize.
The games also featured a chance to win $9000 from RBC at halftime through a “Three Point Thrills” challenge, but no one ended up claiming the prize.
