SENECA SET TO HOST 33RD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CLASSIC TOURNAMENT

– Watch live streaming coverage of The Sting Classic on www.SenecaSting.ca –  

TORONTO – The hoops action will be intense at the Newnham Campus Gymnasium of Seneca College this weekend for the 33nd Annual Seneca Sting Women's Basketball Classic Tournament.  The two-day eight-team bracket-style competition will feature collegiate hoops squads from across Ontario and Quebec including: the Humber College Hawks (Toronto), George Brown College Huskies (Toronto), Sheridan College Bruins (Oakville, Ont.), Fanshawe College Falcons (London, Ont.), Vanier College Cheetahs (Montreal), Dawson College Blues (Montreal), Champlain Regional College Lions (Quebec City) and the host Seneca Sting (Toronto).

Game 1 of The Sting Classic gets underway on Friday, January 6 at 12 p.m. when the George Brown Huskies tip-off with the Sheridan Bruins at Newnham Campus Gymnasium (Building G, Sports Centre, Lower Level).  The fourth and final game of Day 1 will feature the host Seneca Sting versus the Champlain Lions at 6 p.m.  Tournament action ramps up again on Saturday, January 7 at 9 a.m., with the Consolation Final taking place at 5 p.m. and the Championship Final tipping-off at 8 p.m.  

Fans can watch live streaming coverage of The Sting Classic via www.SenecaSting.ca, follow updates through www.Twitter.com/SenecaSting or by 'liking' www.Facebook.com/SenecaSting.

The Seneca Sting's Varsity Women's Basketball team finds themselves firmly planted in sole possession of first place in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association's (OCAA) East Region.

The Sting Women's squad sports a league best 8-0 record on the season. Seneca is the best defensive team in the OCAA having given up only 317 points in their eight regular season games in 2011-2012.  The Sting, with 619 points-for, is second in scoring behind the Sheridan Bruins (7-2 record, 651 points-for).  Seneca's well-rounded group is getting scoring from a variety of sources including three Senecans (Tamara Nembhard – 12.6 PPG, Chanel Grellmore – 10.2 PPG, and Lauren Egglestone – 10.2 PPG) averaging double-digits points-per-game this season.  On the defensive side of the ball, Nembhard and Grellmore are each in the Top 10 in blocks while Nembhard is in the Top 20 in rebounds per game, averaging 7.6, to lead the Sting.  The Sting Classic will serve as warm-up for Seneca College as it hosts the 2012 OCAA Women's Basketball Championship, March 1-3, 2012.

The origin of The Sting Classic dates back to 1979, becoming a Boxing Week tradition for Seneca College and the North York community.  Last year's winner, the Vanier Cheetahs, return to defend their crown after defeating the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves in the Championship Final by a score of 70-54.

Participating Teams:

Seneca Sting (Host Team - Toronto)
George Brown Huskies (Toronto)
Dawson Blues (Montreal)
Sheridan Bruins (Oakville, Ont.)
Fanshawe Falcons (London, Ont.)
Vanier Cheetahs (Montreal)
Humber Hawks (Toronto)
Champlain Lions (Quebec City)

Tournament Schedule:

Friday, January 6, 2012
Game 1: George Brown Huskies vs. Sheridan Bruins - 12 p.m.
Game 2: Dawson Blues vs. Fanshawe Falcons - 2 p.m.
Game 3: Vanier Cheetahs vs. Humber Hawks - 4 p.m.
Game 4: Champlain Lions vs. Seneca Sting - 6 p.m.

Saturday, January 7, 2012
Game 5:  Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 9 a.m.
Game 6:  Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 11 a.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 1 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 3 p.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 - 5 p.m.
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 - 8 p.m.

Source: Seneca College