Sitting in front (left to
right): Grace McClure, Ashley
Cortez, Morgan Wagg Kneeling
(left to right): Robyn Blair,
Danielle Green, Keirsten Tomkins,
Stephanie Shaw and Stephanie
Maitland Standing
(left to right): Manager Sheri
Blair, Brooke Henderson, Carmen
Handy, Julia Iliescu, and Elise
McInnis, In Back (holding
banner): Coaches Brian
Henderson and Jill Henderson
Huron Lakers Atom Girls #1 Basketball Team
Wins Provincial Gold
The Huron Lakers
Atom Girls #1 team capped their season with
a second straight gold medal by winning the
AA Ontario Provincial Championships in
Orillia. The Lakers, ranked 3rd
entering the tournament went undefeated in
capturing the title with a thrilling 39-37
overtime victory in the final over the 2nd
ranked Brantford CYO team.
The Lakers
opened the tournament with a 37-23 win over
Guelph Phoenix. After a sluggish start in
the first half that saw the game tied, the
Lakers pulled away with 8 second half points
by Carmen Handy who had a game high 12 for
the winners. Morgan Wagg also contributed
11 points in the win.
In the second
game, the Pelham Panthers came out with a
high degree of intensity as they had to win
to stay in competition for the medals. The
Panthers jumped out to an early lead but the
Lakers battled hard with a strong defensive
effort by Julia Iliescu and Danielle Green
to keep the game close. A balanced attack
with 10 Lakers scoring baskets set the stage
for Keirsten Tomkins to close the game going
5 for 6 from the line to cap her game high 9
points and ice the game 34-29.
The final round
robin game was strictly for placing purposes
as the Lakers had already qualified for the
playoffs and were playing the #2 ranked
Brantford CYO team for first place. The
Lakers got off to a great start with a
strong display of team basketball. Robyn
Blair played shut down defence on
Brantford’s strongest and tallest player and
the Lakers executed their offence with
precision getting baskets from 7 different
players. Once again, the Lakers won the
game at the line making 5 of 8 free throws
in the final period, including Tomkins who
closed the game with 3 of 4 free throws in
the final minute. Ashley Cortez led the
team with 6 points in the 26-24 victory.
Clinching first
place turned into a positive for the Lakers
as they faced the 8th ranked
Flamborough Fire team who upset #1 ranked
Oakville Vytis to make the playoffs.
Avenging an earlier season defeat, the depth
of the Lakers showed in a low scoring first
half. Down 7-2 early in the game, Brooke
Henderson made a free throw as time expired
in the 3rd period that seemed to
bring life to the Lakers. Grace McClure
scored on a breakaway and Elise McInnis and
Danielle Green both scored on strong screen
and roll plays to start building the lead
for the Lakers. Tomkins scored a game high
10 points all in the second half. Stephanie
Shaw added 5 for the winners including a 3
pointer to start the second half and the
Lakers never looked back winning 27-18.
The final did
not start off well for the Lakers as
Brantford came out shooting very strongly
and jumped out to an early 8 point lead just
before half time. A clutch basket by
Stephanie Maitland before the half brought
the score to within 6 at the break. The
Lakers chipped away slowly in the second
half before taking a lead for the first time
since the opening minute with just over one
minute remaining in the 7th
period. Brantford led by one heading into
the final period which went back and forth
throughout. Carmen Handy broke out in the
final period and scored two of her team high
13 with just over 30 seconds left to tie the
score. After a strong defensive possession,
the Lakers had a chance to win at the buzzer
but the ball bounced off the rim sending the
game into overtime.
The Lakers
played an inspired overtime period and went
to the basket consistently making layups and
going to the free throw line where once
again they closed the game by going 4-6 from
the line, including 2 free throws by Morgan
Wagg that put the Lakers up 5 with 40
seconds remaining. Brantford made a
spirited comeback attempt that fell just
short when they missed 2 shots as time
expired to give the Lakers the championship.
Stephanie Shaw pitched in 8 for the winners
in the final.
During the
season, the Lakers amassed 2 gold medals, 2
silver medals, and one bronze medal in their
5 tournaments and finished the season on a
nine game winning streak against the
toughest competition in AA in the province.