In the semis, the Whitehorse F.H. Collins Warriors, who hadn’t won a game all season, edged the Whitehorse Porter Creek Rams 48-46.
In the final, the Whitehorse Vanier Crusaders whipped the Whitehorse F.H. Collins Warriors 47-29 as Bonna Feliciano scored 15, Loren Hogins 7 and Shirley Ng 6. The Crusaders led 20-14 at the half and 36-17 after three quarters. Vanier coach Nicole Campbell said her troops came out flat because they were surprised to be facing the Warriors in the final. “I think because of that, we came out a bit flat and didn’t really show what we were made of early on. But, we refocused and stepped it up as the game went on.” The Crusaders ripped off a 16-3 run in the third quarter to take command, often off transition buckets generated through turnovers. Lu Nguyen led the Warriors with 8. Melissa Laluk added 8. “I am so proud of these girls because they played with heart all weekend,” Warriors coach Norm Zazulak said. “I think the girls learned a lot from what they experienced this weekend. They never quit and regardless of what the score was (Saturday), they found that what makes a winner is heart. That’s something you can’t teach. It has to come from within. … (Feliciano) just killed us,” along with the boardwork of Chisom Ikeji. Zazulak added that “Lu (Nguyen) couldn’t have produced points the way she did, if players like Melissa (Laluk) didn’t work hard underneath the backboards. Everyone, such as Jessica Sturby, who didn’t play very much, was a positive influence on the bench. The girls never quit.”
The bronze medalist Whitehorse Porter Creek Rams: Megan Brady; Stacy Taylor;
The silver medalist Whitehorse F.H. Collins Warriors: Lu Nguyen; Melissa Laluk; Jessica Sturby; Stephanie Buck; coach Norm Zazulak
The gold medalist Whitehorse Vanier Crusaders: Bonna Feliciano; Janna Tait; Loren Hogins; Shirley Ng; Chison Ikeji; Kyla Fraser; Amanda McCarthy; Lacey Ferguson; coach Nicole Campbell