ATHENS, Greece – Mariam Sylla registered a "double-double", leading the visiting McGill University women's basketball team to a 74-49 victory over AO Paleo Faliro, a Div. 2 team in Greece's professional A2 league, Sunday.  
 
It was the first win for the Martlets in their three-game, eight-day overseas odyssey to Greece. They dropped the first two contests, losing 62-61 to Kronos of the A2 league (Sept.1) and 61-51 to Olympico of the A1 league (Sept.5).
 
Sylla, a 6-foot-1 senior, led all scorers with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Teammates Alex Kiss-Rusk , a 6-foot-4 junior from Beaconsfield, Que., and Montrealer Gladys Hakizimana, a freshman point-guard, also reached double figures in scoring. Kiss-Rusk collected 15 points with eight rebounds and Hakizimana tallied 10 points while dishing out six assists.
 
"It was great to end this trip in a positive way, getting a win where everyone contributed," said Ryan Thorne, head coach of the Martlets. "They were definitely no match for our size inside, so that's where we focused our attack. Mariam and Alex dominated early, then got their teammates involved when they double-teamed us in the post."
 
The Martlets outscored their hosts in every quarter, leading 25-13 after one, 45-26 at halftime and 59-39 after three stanzas.
 
"We were more focused on taking away transition baskets and it showed in our play, only giving up six points (in those situations), albeit against a weaker opponent," added Thorne. "I'm definitely happy with what we got out of this trip. Practicing with and discussing basketball with Olympico, the Division 1 champions was a great experience. The competition along with the hospitality of the Greek people was just what we hoped for."

After the game, the Martlets headed to the airport for the arduous 10-hour flight to Montreal. They are slated to arrive at Pierre-Elliott Trudeau airport in Dorval just before 2 p.m. on Labour Day Monday.

After a grueling seven-game preseason schedule, including four against NCAA squads in mid-August, the McGill women will have a few weeks off to settle into school before resuming their schedule on Oct. 3 with their first CIS opponent, the Carleton Ravens, in a 4 p.m. tip-off at Love Competition Hall. The Martlets will follow that with home games at the Redbird Classic tournament against Victoria (Oct. 16), Thompson Rivers (Oct. 17) and Laurier (Oct. 18). The RSEQ season opener will be against visiting Laval on Nov. 6.
 
 
SOURCE;
 
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
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www.mcgill athletics.ca
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