It was an impressive week of basketball for B.C. athletes.
Canada Basketball hosted the 15U and 17U Men’s and Women’s tournament, hosted in Sherbrooke, Que and Calgary respectively from July 31- Aug. 5.
The B.C. girls 15U team had a dominating run in their 10-team tournament, going undefeated on route to the championship.
The squad, populated by players from the Lower Mainland, Victoria, Prince George, and Kelowna, finished atop of Pool B, defeating P.E.I and Newfoundland and Labrador in round robin play.
The quarterfinals saw them battle Nova Scotia, and paced by Jordyn Nohr’s (Langley) 24 points, B.C would win 71-49.
The semifinal match against perennial juggernaut Ontario saw the eastern team run out to a 21-7 lead heading into the second. B.C. would slice into the lead, down just 33-27 at the half, before a strong third led to a 48-45 advantage. B.C. would hold on in the fourth, winning 65-60 to set up a final showdown against Quebec.
B.C. showcased with their dominance in the final, jumping out to an early lead that would never be relinquished, eventually winning 73-51.
The 17U girls had a tougher tournament, losing their first three matches, before ending their season on a high note with a 67-43 win over Newfoundland and Labrador. The team had players from Victoria, Armstrong, West Kelowna, Kelowna and the Lower Mainland.
Meanwhile, at the men’s tournament in Quebec, both the 15U and 17U B.C. teams won their bronze medal matches on Saturday, Aug. 5.
The 15U boys, compiled of players from the Vancouver area and Victoria, started their tournament off with two losses. They bounced back in game three, thumping New Brunswick 94-57, before falling the semifinals to the eventual champion team Ontario.
The bronze medal game was a rematch of their first match, against Alberta. B.C. would enact their revenge with a dominating performance, winning 90-55.
The 17U boys started their tournament off perfectly, winning their first three games to set up a semifinal bout with Alberta.
The game would go down to the wire, with Alberta pulling away with the tight 115-111 win. B.C. would then bounce back to claim bronze against Quebec 115-108. Kelowna’s Nash Semeniuk and Victoria’s Cole Bekkering were the only non Lower Mainlanders on the team.
Visit basketball.bc.ca for full rosters, and more information on the tournament.
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