The Storm that blew into Kelowna during the BC Junior All Native Basketball Tournament subsided on the tourney’s final day.
The Hesquiaht Storm junior girls’ team placed third after losing to the Greenville Timberwolves in Friday’s semi-final game. The Timberwolves went on to beat Vancity 85-51 in the final game to win the tournament championship.
Against the Storm, Greenville came out like a buzz saw after the opening tip off. They scored nine points, including two back-to-back three-point shots in the first two minutes. The Storm was down 25-12 at the half, and while the Storm tried to claw back, Greenville’s deft shooting and tenacious defense allowed them to maintain the lead.
Storm mainstay Memphis Dick fouled out at 2:30 of the fourth quarter, which ended 90-48 for Greenville.
Memphis Dick scored 18 points and was named first team all star. Her teammate Destiny Hanson scored seven points and was named a second team all star. Greenville’s Kristi Innes scored 21 points and was named the girls division’s most valuable player. Her teammate Ashton Stevens was named best defensive player of the tournament.
The Storm’s journey started on Monday with wins over the Skidegate Saints and Haida Wilder before being knocked into the losers’ bracket by Vancity on Tuesday.
The Storm made their way through Gingolx, Kamloops and Syilx before bowing out in the semi-final to Greenville.
More than 60 teams competed in the annual tournament – 22 girls’ teams and 19 boys’ teams. There were also 10 girls’ teams and nine boys’ teams that competed in the new U13 division. The Tseshaht Pride girls’ team competed in the U13 division.
There were eight Nuu-chah-nulth teams that competed in the tourney. The TFN First Ladies, Hesquiaht Storm, Ahousaht West Coast, Maaqtusiis Thunder and Tseshaht Pride played in the girls’ division. The Maaqtusiis Magic, Hesquiaht Braves and TFN competed in the boys’ division.
Hupacasath’s Taya Vissia, who played for Syilx, was named a first team all star and was the only other Nuu-chah-nulth who garnered an award.
The Maaqtusiis Thunder made it next furthest in the girls’ division before being knocked out by Syilx. TFN made farthest in the boys’ division before being knocked out on Tuesday by Heiltsuk.
Vancity beat Snuneymuxw 82-66 to win the boy’s championship.
The 2018 BC Junior All Native will be held in Vancouver.
