Game Recap: Orangeville Prep vs. Crestwood Prep – Blue (“She Hoops” Night)
The atmosphere inside the Athlete Institute was electric before tip-off. Fans packed the gym for Orangeville Prep’s “She Hoops” Night—a dedicated event celebrating female basketball and raising awareness for breast cancer.
"This is a great opportunity to celebrate what we're trying to do here. We've always said this from the beginning: this is bigger than basketball. It's an opportunity for the community to come watch and for us to celebrate female basketball as an entire Orangeville Prep organization. We're really lucky with the support we have—not only from our president and owner, Jesse, but from the entire Orangeville community and school. It's just a fun thing to be part of."
Class of 2027 guard Cayenne Buchanan echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the initiative’s core mission: supporting breast cancer awareness while bringing high-level energy to the floor.
1st Quarter: Hot Shooting Sets the Pace
Despite Crestwood Prep-Blue dressing a short bench due to injuries, both teams came out with intensity to establish an early rhythm. Crestwood Prep-Blue struck first with a 5-0 run, but Orangeville Prep answered decisively.
Powered by strong interior play from #15 Itunuayo Akinbodeye on the glass and electric playmaking from Cayenne Buchanan and Emma Firth, Orangeville Prep launched a 10-0 run to make it 12-5. Orangeville’s perimeter shooters caught fire early, knocking down six 3-pointers in the opening quarter to close out the frame with a commanding 29-9 lead.
2nd Quarter: Paint Dominance & Perimeter Firepower
Orangeville Prep kept their foot on the gas in the second quarter. Itunuayo Akinbodeye continued to anchor the paint on both ends, scoring early inside and creating high-percentage opportunities. Orangeville’s dribble penetration repeatedly collapsed Crestwood’s defense, leading to consistent trips to the free-throw line and open kick-out passes.
When Crestwood Prep-Blue put together a quick 5-0 run, Orangeville Prep responded immediately with a 3-pointer from #21 Aryaah Cumberbatch. Cayenne Buchanan dictated the floor, getting to the line and setting up teammates in transition.
Although Crestwood Prep – Blue generated solid looks out of their offensive sets, they struggled to finish consistently. However, Crestwood Prep-Blue ended the half on a high note when Victoria Svensson drilled a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Check the video here: Victoria Svensson hits halftime buzzer beater courtesy of The Maple Minute
At halftime, Orangeville Prep held a 52-29 lead, boasting double-digit 3-pointers in the opening half.
Coach Greg Firth on the team’s hot shooting:
“A lot of it was sharing the ball—inside-outside play, not settling for the first shot, and making extra passes. Putting pressure on the paint and kicking it out opened things up. When we let them fly, we want our kids to shoot when they’re open and celebrate it.”
“I think it was just our energy. Everybody was hype! Everyone was telling each other to shoot, and that really helped us get in rhythm.”
Click to see Cayenne Buchanan highlights courtesy of The Maple Minute
3rd Quarter: Defensive Pressure & Scrappy Battling
Orangeville Prep opened the second half with back-to-back steals and quick transition buckets to extend the lead. Their ball pressure forced several Crestwood Prep-Blue turnovers, keeping the game played at a fast pace.
Crestwood Prep-Blue, however, refused to roll over. Playing with a scrappy, physical mindset, they slowed Orangeville down toward the end of the quarter. Crestwood’s #15, Kassidy Elento-Davis, worked into the paint to earn trips to the charity stripe. With Orangeville Prep mounting fouls, Crestwood Prep-Blue took advantage of free-throw opportunities to keep competing.
4th Quarter: Closing Out the Victory
Crestwood Prep-Blue came out fiery in the final frame, led by strong second-half performances from Kassidy Elento-Davis and Shae Veevers. Matching their energy, Orangeville withstood Crestwood’s full-court pressure and executed down the stretch.
When the final buzzer sounded, Orangeville Prep secured a 93-63 victory, bringing a high-energy performance to a meaningful night.
Key Player Breakdown
- Itunuayo Akinbodeye (6’2 c/o 2028 F/C – Orangeville Prep): A dominant interior force all night, finishing with 10 points and controlling both glass and paint defense.
Coach Firth: “Ayo is a force—the strongest player we’ve ever had. She’s a sponge with how she learns the game, and her touch around the net for a player of her stature is phenomenal.“
- Malia Passley (5’9 c/o 2027, Guard – Orangeville Prep): Hit four 3-pointers, dominated 4th quarter scoring. Finished with a game high 24 points.
- Cayenne Buchanan (5’9 c/o 2027 Guard – Orangeville Prep): Key sparkplug on offense, pushing the tempo, getting to the line, and knocking down shots. Finished with 19 points.
- Emma Firth (6’0 c/o 2027 – Orangeville Prep): Dynamic perimeter threat. knocking down 5 3-pointers finishing with 15 points.
- Shae Veevers (5’8 c/o 2027 Guard – Crestwood Prep-Blue): Had a team high 13 points.
- Victoria Svensson (5’7 c/o 2029 Guard – Crestwood Prep-Blue): Finished with 9 points, hitting timely shots throughout the game.
- Kassidy Elento-Davis (5’7 c/o 2032 Guard – Crestwood Prep-Blue): Put together a resilient second-half effort, scoring 11 points and battling in the paint.
What's next
With the win, Orangeville Prep moves to 2-0 in OSBA regular season play, while a resilient Crestwood Prep-Blue teams falls to 1-2.
Both teams turn their attention to upcoming road matchups next week:
Orangeville Prep: Travels to face #1 Fort Erie International Academy on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in Fort Erie, Ontario.
Crestwood Prep-Blue: Hits the road to take on unranked C.O.D.E. Academy on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the Canada Athletic Performance Center in Whitby, Ontario.
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