Posted: Mar 07, 2026
Gold Medal Final
The championship game between the NAIT Ooks and the King's Eagles opened at a blistering pace, with the Eagles striking first. King's scored the first three baskets of the game, including two by #13 Ayleman, to set the early tone.
NAIT's #6 Neilson responded with a beautiful feed inside that led to an easy basket for the Ooks. Moments later, Eagles' #3 Bunting raced end-to-end for a fast-break layup, but NAIT answered quickly with a layup of their own on the next possession.
King's continued to push the pace as #19 Ayotte finished a 2-on-1 transition opportunity with a smooth layup. NAIT's #8 Dewolfe then fought through traffic for a strong drive to keep the Ooks close. With the Eagles leading 13–8, King's called the first timeout of the game.
Out of the break, the Eagle's #5 Yorke scored on a smooth turnaround in the key, and teammate #15 Rivet followed with another basket on the next drive. NAIT answered when #0 Wright drove the baseline for two, and Dewolfe added a reverse layup after cutting across the key.
Ayleman continued to lead the Eagles' offense, hitting a long jumper. Ayotte followed with a mid-range shot after tracking down a long rebound. NAIT's Reed answered with a three-pointer, but the Eagles still held a 22–15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
King's opened the second quarter with another three from Ayleman off a kick-out pass. Yorke then fought her way between two defenders on the baseline to finish a tough layup. Neilson answered for NAIT with a layup after finding space inside, but the Ooks still trailed by ten at 27–17.
Reed drove the baseline for a basket, but Ayleman responded with a strong fast-break finish for the Eagles. Both teams entered the bonus with more than three minutes remaining in the half. Ayleman grabbed an offensive rebound and finished with a reverse layup to extend the lead.
NAIT's #2 Cartmell answered with a crafty fake and step-back basket. Bunting added another layup for the Eagles before #4 Sellars knocked down a three-pointer for the Ooks. Ayotte then scored after receiving a long baseline inbound pass, and #3 Rose answered with a driving layup for NAIT.
Ayleman continued her strong first half, finishing a layup through contact. She then scored again on a pull-up mid-range jumper. At halftime, the Eagles held a comfortable 41–29 lead.
The second half began with the same intensity and physical defense that had defined the first two quarters. Bunting opened the scoring with a layup after receiving a pass through the middle. Reed then stole the ball and converted a floater for the Ooks, but the Eagles answered immediately with a short jumper from Dewolfe.
Wright, who had been resting earlier, returned for NAIT and knocked down a mid-range jumper. The Eagles, however, quickly took control of the game.
Ayotte started the run with a layup, followed by Yorke converting a short jumper in transition. Ayleman then stole the ball and finished a quick layup before adding a smooth Euro-step finish on the next possession. Ayotte attacked again from the three-point line for another easy layup, and Yorke completed the surge with a basket after cutting across the low post.
The five consecutive baskets pushed the Eagles' lead to 25 points, forcing the Ooks to call a timeout. Cartmell responded out of the timeout with a strong drive to the basket, but King's still held a commanding 58–35 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Reed tried to spark a comeback for NAIT, scoring on a full-speed contested layup and then knocking down a three-pointer after Culshaw rebounded her previous attempt.
From there, the Eagles regained momentum. Ayotte took over offensively, first hitting a pull-up jumper from the low post, then adding another short jumper after a drive-and-kick sequence. She continued her run with a strong drive from the top of the key, while Pedersen added a long jumper. Ayotte capped the stretch with another layup near the rim.
Reed added another three-pointer for the Ooks, but by then the result was firmly in hand.
The King's Eagles secured the victory and claimed the 2025–26 ACAC Championship, completing a strong tournament performance.
Players of the Game
NAIT Ooks – #9 Mikah Reed: 19 points, 2 steals, 1 rebound, 1 assist
King's Eagles – #19 Anelia Ayotte: 18 points, 13 rebounds, multiple assists and steals
NAIT Ooks – #9 Mikah Reed: 19 points, 2 steals, 1 rebound, 1 assist
King's Eagles – #19 Anelia Ayotte: 18 points, 13 rebounds, multiple assists and steals
Tournament All-Stars
NAIT Ooks – #9 Mikah Reed, #6 Payton Neilson
King's Eagles – #19 Anelia Ayotte
NAIT Ooks – #9 Mikah Reed, #6 Payton Neilson
King's Eagles – #19 Anelia Ayotte
ACAC Tournament MVP
King's Eagles – #13 Megan Ayleman
King's Eagles – #13 Megan Ayleman