By Dan Plouffe
Capital Courts Academy is nearing the conclusion of its busiest season yet, and with the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association playoffs on tap, they’ve also bagged their first perfect regular season record in program history with a 12-0 campaign.
“You respect every opponent,” CCA head coach Fabienne Blizzard identifies as the key to the unblemished mark. “It doesn’t matter if they’re in Grade 8. You play them the same way you play everyone because that’s how you get better.”
The possibility of a slip-up or lack of focus for one league game was perhaps elevated this season, with CCA now nearing 40 games played overall. But their opening match back in October – a 83-77 win over Royal Crown – proved to be as close as any opponent would come to knocking them off in OSBA play.
CCA won a later rematch with Toronto’s Royal Crown by 10 points, while no other opponent came within 20 points in their other 10 OSBA contests. They also went to tournaments in Florida, Washington, D.C. and New York and lost just twice – both times by one point – against American opponents with players as tall as 6’8″ and guards who could consistently hit three-pointers.
And the biggest addition to CCA’s schedule was joining the inaugural Women’s National Preparatory Association league run by North Pole Hoops in the Toronto area.
“Something we found that we were missing was, we practice a lot, but we didn’t have enough games to test them,” Blizzard signals. “I think we’re battle-tested now.”
Blizzard says her troops have maintained an “amazing” attitude throughout the year, and that their effort level is always high and never needs to be coached.
Rachael Okokoh concurs that the team’s energy remains high as it hits the home stretch. She came into the season flying high after winning a silver medal for Team Canada at last summer’s FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup alongside CCA teammate Jahda Denis and Blizzard, who was named the tournament’s top coach.
“It’s definitely different from last year – a lot of travel. It’s busier, especially with school,” notes Okokoh, a 6’3″ forward. “But we’re getting better at balancing that out and just being ready for each game.
“It’s about being disciplined. Going to bed on time. And you need to properly stay on top of schoolwork so it doesn’t overwhelm you.”
Guard Megan Hollingsworth says the busy sked has helped the team bond.
“Being around each other all the time, and working hard all together, we’ve definitely gotten closer,” explains Hollingsworth, who played for Kia Nurse Elite last spring. “This is a really good group. I’ve been here for four years and this one of the best groups we’ve had. I’m very proud of our team.”
Hollingsworth and Okokoh are both nearing the end of their time with CCA as they get set to tackle NCAA basketball at the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State respectively.
“It was very exciting finding out that we’re going to be in the same state, and the same area,” highlights Hollingsworth.
But before that, there are eight seniors on the team who want nothing more than to finish their careers at CCA with a championship.
Standing most prominently in the way of that quest is top rival Crestwood, which ended CCA’s seasons the past two years. In 2023, it was a four-point semi-final win by Crestwood en route to the title and then last season, the Toronto private school trounced CCA 94-57 in the championship game.
“It’s definitely motivation,” Okokoh indicates. “We lost by 40 last year. We remember that feeling, and I feel like we’re using that to push us every single day, to motivate us to get to where we need to be for the championship.”
CCA didn’t play against opponents from the west division during the 2024-25 OSBA regular season, but they did face their nemesis in WNPA play on Feb. 15, as Crestwood exploded out to a 25-10 lead before holding on to win 66-63. Crestwood was unbeaten in the west as well.
“Definitely a challenging team. They’re good. I can’t lie,” Okokoh adds. “Whenever you go against them, it’s head to head. We’re butting heads all the time. But I feel like the next time we play them, we’ll definitely be ready.”
Blizzard agrees. She says the loss to Crestwood did serve as a wake-up call.
“For me, hands down, I think our team is a very, very good team, and the only way we lose is us,” Blizzard states. “A lot of times, we tend to focus so much on the other team, but I think we need to focus on us. There’s certain things we need to polish and we need to do a little bit better, and that’s the strategy that we have.”
CCA will host an OSBA playoff game next week, likely against neighbouring Louis-Riel, which went 5-7 to finish in the middle of the seven-team east. A win would then send them on another road trip to Toronto and the Pan Am Sports Centre for the OSBA’s final four championship weekend Mar. 6-8.
While that’s now the major task ahead, Blizzard was pleased to take a moment to salute her players’ efforts in becoming CCA’s first unbeaten team. After CCA’s back-to-back 96-point performances in home games last Thursday and Saturday, they followed in the footsteps of the Algonquin College Wolves and Carleton University Ravens as local female basketball teams with unblemished regular season records.
“They deserve it,” Blizzard underlines, noting her deep team has lots of talent past their starters. “I think that a lot of (the success) is because of the sisterhood, the togetherness that they have, the caring for each other. It’s so important.”
This year, CCA unveiled sweatshirts with a refrain that’s become a calling for the prep program: “It takes a village.”
Blizzard is quick to thank the staff at Cairine Wilson Secondary School for all their support, as well as the parents and everyone involved with CCA’s teams, and of course co-founder Merrick Palmer and his Capital Courts Training Centre at the old Orleans Y.
“I just feel that we’re so blessed,” Blizzard details. “You feel that community, and that’s what I love about Ottawa. Everyone is wishing us well, and everyone is supporting us.”