There were clutch shots and hard fouls, and better yet, basketball season is just getting started.
Senior AA girls’ games were held around the city Tuesday night as another high school hoops season has tipped off.
The week’s feature game was a good one between the Nanaimo District Islanders and the Cedar Spartans at the NDSS gym. The Isles came back to win 36-30 despite having the slowest of starts and getting shut out in the first quarter.
“If they can come back and win a game like that, it helps build the team,” said Mike Lundine, coach of the Islanders. “So when they show up to practice tomorrow, they’re going to be a lot happier, they’re going to be a lot more jelled as a team.”
Maddy Dawson scored a game-high 12 points to lead NDSS and Shelby Dorman-Banks and Marika Grubac had 10 points each for Cedar.
An even closer game took place at the Woodlands Secondary School gym, where the host Eagles were edged 54-52 by the Isfeld Ice.
Carl Macdonald, coach of the Woodlands girls, said the good, close game will benefit his team moving forward.
“It helps the players understand the need to maintain intensity and it helps them to see the potential for growth,” said the coach.
Michelle Berti was the Eagles’ player of the game, leading the way at both ends of the court.
The city’s top senior girls team was also in action Tuesday at the Wellington Secondary School gym. The provincially ranked Wildcats handled the Barsby Blazers 71-18 in a contest that was stopped after three quarters due to an injury to a Blazers player.
Mariah Van Sickle was top scorer with 15 points and Ally Keir, Montana Mjaaland and Julie Zhao scored 11 apiece.
The ’Cats have rolled through their first few games undefeated, as they won Woodlands’ Soar With the Eagles Tournament this past weekend. Wellington defeated the senior AAA Dover Bay Dolphins in Saturday’s final by a 77-29 score. Welly’s Sara Simovic scored 25 points against her former team in that game with Keir adding 11.
GAME ON … The Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAA girls host tournament action at their north-end gym starting Friday (Dec. 7). The Dolphins girls take on Parkland at 11:15 a.m.; after that game a touring team from Australia will be in action … Senior AA boys’ league play begins Tuesday (Dec. 11), with NDSS visiting Cedar, Barsby hosting Wellington and Woodlands travelling to Ladysmith. Tipoff times are 6:30 p.m. In senior AA girls' action that evening, Woodlands will host Barsby, Cedar will host Kwalikum, Wellington will host Isfeld and ND will host Ballenas. Game times are 5 p.m. … Look for high school basketball scores, stats, photos and schedule information all season at www.nanaimobulletin.com/sports, or follow @BulletinSports on Twitter.
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