The Maaqtusiis Knights played a respectable game against Queen Margaret’s Royals (QMR) out of Duncan on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 7, at Ucluelet's 2024 Basketball on the Edge tournament.
The Ahousaht team of junior and senior all-native players suffered back-to-back losses the day before, but doubled back from Flores Island, a 30-minute boat ride from Tofino, to nab an exciting 65-62 victory over QMR.
Maaqtusiis player Kalani Charleson, 17, said the travel didn’t make him tired.
“I feel good. It was a good weekend with my team,” he said as they were rushing out of the gym to catch a 4:30 p.m. boat.
“We’re all dedicated to the game and we have love for it,” Charleson said of Ahousaht’s basketball program.
Coached by Luke Swan Jr., Ahousaht opted to send rookie coach Marcus Lobb as an alternate for this one as the nation was hosting a potlatch in the village.
“I’m just filling in,” said Lobb. “We won. It was a great game. Even that play at the end almost came back to get us, but I think they were doing a good job, especially of boxing out because they’re a smaller team.”
“They didn’t get home until midnight (on Friday) and then we all loaded up on the boat the next morning. Some of the guys didn’t know if they wanted to go, but it’s a good thing they all came,” Lobb continued. “They all played so fluid together because they’ve been playing together, most of them, their whole lives.”
Ahousaht parent Lil’ Star Frank came to watch her four boys play ball.
“They are representing Ahousaht well. I’m really proud of them putting in the work together,” she said.
Frank went on to note that it was a long two nights and that “staying put at tournaments would be safer”.
Host team Ucluelet Secondary School (USS) Warriors smashed QMR 69-42 in game one, rallied to beat Brooks Thunderbirds from Powell River 62-56 in the semi-final, but ultimately left hometown fans riling after a nail-biting final against Duncan Christian Chargers that ended with a 71-63 overtime win for the Chargers.
“We played great defensively. That’s our calling card. Everyone found success. They should be really proud with the effort they played on defense,” said Warriors coach Alistair Reynolds.
Offensively, Reynolds said Raph Nixon, Clay Chiovitti and Riley Gerbrandt helped carry the team throughout the tournament.
“Riley’s had such an incredible start to the season and that’s just a credit to all the hard work he’s been putting in. He’s the type where every time in the summer when I drove by the basketball courts in Ukee, he was there. He was putting up shots,” said Reynolds, a Grade 4 teacher at Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino.
“If the other players can practice their shooting and put up thousands of shots between now and playoffs, we’re going to have a very good chance of moving on to the provincials again,” he continued.
Reynolds thanked all the student volunteers, school staff and parents for the work they did on running the yearly tournament.
“Without them the tournament wouldn’t have been possible. Mr. Ryan the principal is there really late along with Chris Sylvester. They are there the entire time; past 11 at night, mopping the floor and then they are back there first thing in the morning,” said the USS coach.
