The U16 girls won Gold in Div 1 at Ontario Cup this weekend, making them 9th overall provincially! Our 14’s won gold last weekend, and things are looking good for our two U19 teams competing this weekend – one for Ontario Cup, and one for the Provincial Championship.
Roster:
Avery McCoy #7
Carys Wood #5
Emery Leveque #2
Grace Crawford #13
Hannah Millington #44
MaKennin Roach #4
Nyomi Bertrand #10
Olivia McFaul #12
Samantha Milne #20
Syrena Elliot #9
Gord de Vries, Head Coach
Rachel Clarke, Assistant Coach
Team sponsor Ellbrook Excavating
Weekend recap from Coach de Vries:
GOLD for Spirits midget girls! Maybe 5 gold really! Gold for effort; never ever quit. Then for positive attitude and team SPIRIT all the weekend through. Another for having the ability to shift tactics if things were not going well; to change offense or defense as needed. Then , just like all season long, a gold award for DEFENSE. These girls are relentless; ball pressure, help side, tips/steals, rebounds.
But the special one: GOLD, Pool 1, U16 girls, below OBLX the best in the province. Just an awesome finish to a tremendous season.
First game a heartbreaking one point loss (43 – 42) to Kingston. Not the start we were hoping for.
The second game, a scrappy affair with Kitchener Phoenix, saw Spirits just outwork their opponents on every level. Won 54 – 43.
Then rematch time. Thunder Bay had beaten us earlier in the season at a tournament. Both trepidation and anticipation. Down one point at the half the girls rallied to win by 13; 40–27.
Again pesky defense showed its reward as the game went on. Kudos to every player for the intensity with which they played.
Finally Sunday gold game vs Barrie Royals. Down 10–2 early the girls just regrouped, got it back one play at a time. Close game all the way but ended with 41–36 GOLD victory.
Algonquin College was a fantastic host site, referees and support staff amazing, hotel nights fun, parents cut loose a bit, lots of laughs, a few nervous tears, tremendous support from all.
Spirits midget basketball must bring out the GOLD in everyone!
Well done girls! Memory moments for sure!
– Coach de Vries
Tryout registration for next season is up on our website www.bellevillespirits.
The Belleville Spirits Basketball Club strives to assist our players in reaching their maximum potential, both as basketball players and citizens of our community.
Our players will learn that they can achieve more than they ever thought possible. They will learn to win with humility and lose with grace. They will learn to see opportunities instead of obstacles. They will learn that nothing worth achieving comes without hard work. They will develop the self-confidence to take on any challenge that will face them, both on and off the basketball court.