Sylvie Paillard
[email protected]
The Don Ross Secondary School (DRSS) gym already has numerous championship banners hanging from its rafters, but last Wednesday (Feb. 15) the girls' basketball team brought home an especially sweet championship.
DRSS now has its first ever basketball championship banner. It's only the second non-mountain biking banner ever won by the school, according to DRSS athletic director and the team's co-coach Anne Bracey.
The grade 9 and 10 girls spent the entire season showing great promise, taking win after win. All that hard work came to a culmination Wednesday with the division victory over West Vancouver Secondary on their home court.
"The group of girls know each other really well and they've been practicing twice a week for months and months," said Bracey. "The whole team stuck it out the whole season and they played really well as a team."
The team also stuck it out during the final game, even in the face of considerable opposition.
"The game was full of excitement with several nail-biting moments," said Shuna McClements, a parent who attended the game. "It was neck and neck in the first quarter."
The Don Ross girls surged ahead in the second quarter with an 11-point lead, but the team lost its momentum in the third quarter. West Vancouver took advantage and tied the game again, before Don Ross made another comeback.
"The team rallied together and played very well offensively and defensively, often stealing the ball and making several fast breaks to the basket," said McClements.
The final buzzer was quickly drowned out by the Don Ross girls screaming in celebration of their 43-34 win.
The winning team includes players Kayli Wilkinson, Paige O'Neil, Megan Bell, Frances Hoogenboom, Jamey Wessels, Jordie Allan, Alison McClements, Jessica Allouche, Calli Wessels, Danielle Sweeney, Rebecca Bolkowy and Courtney Robertson.
"We are all very proud of them," said McClements. "The teamwork was outstanding."
