A sister-like bond helped secure a win for the Durham College Lords women’s basketball team on Wednesday night but the luck didn’t last until Friday.
Following a 67-64 win against the Georgian Grizzlies on Feb. 11, the Lords fell to the George Brown Huskies 48-43 two days later.
The win earlier in the week broke a three-game losing streak and may be thanks to some chicken wings, as well as some grit.
Team captain Telia Campbell said working as a team is “a lot of hard work.”
“It’s like having a bunch of big sisters and younger sisters,” she said, “all in one big house.”
Campbell said sometimes it gets hectic and the best way to combat that is to talk.
“Honestly, just talk and communicate, that’s the key,” she said.
She also said it’s necessary to always keep herself and her fellow teammates in check.
To keep this open line of communication, every Tuesday the women’s team goes out for chicken wings.
They always get the same orders and sit in the exact same seats, according to Campbell.
At a post-game press conferences, Sarah-Jane Laplante, who put up 27 points on Wednesday, joked with her basketball sisters, crediting their ritual.
“It’s the wings,” she said, laughing.
Notably, Laplante opted for boneless garlic parmesan, while Campbell chose bone-in hot and honey wings.
However, the wing blessing may have worn off for Telia Campbell who went down late in the third quarter because of cramping.
But having their captain unable to play the rest of the game didn’t crush the team’s spirits. If anything, it boosted them.
“We’re working harder for her,” said Laplante. “We’re winning for her.”
Assistant coach Emily Balkissoon said because their captain was out “everybody else needs to step-up a little bit and help out.”
Of note, Warren Williams, the newly named women’s basketball head coach for the 2026-2027 season, attended Wednesday’s game.
The Lords barely had a break before facing George Brown on Friday.
In that game, Campbell put up eight points against the Huskies, while Laplante had five.
The Lords play again this Saturday at 6 p.m. against the Humber Hawks in Toronto in a playoff qualifier.
Fans may hope the women stop for some wings beforehand.