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Eagles rise to the challenge in first tournament

The PSO Eagles girls basketball team competed in a tournament in Barriere
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The Peter Skene Ogden senior girls got their wings clipped in last weekend’s basketball tournament in Barriere but rose to the challenge and improved with every game, according to coach Rick Barker.

Barker said the host team, Barriere Cougars, beat the Eagles by more than 40 points in the first game at the eight-team tournament but the 100 Mile girls never gave up.

“They played with such heart against stronger, faster senior teams that have been together longer; I was really proud of all their efforts and attitude,” he said.

Teams came from as far away as Fort St. James, Vernon and Agassiz to compete in the two-day tourney, held at Barriere Secondary School.

Ogden’s second game against Fort St. James was a far better showing than the first, as Joelle Kuyek led the scoring with eight points, followed by Malak Omer with five points including a buzzer-beating three-point shot to finish the game. Grace Friesen and Eva Rosenstock each had four points in the losing cause.

Rosenstock led the girls with 12 points in their last game, a much closer match against Agassiz, coincidentally also called the Eagles.

Kuyek, who picked up a tournament all-star plaque for her efforts, put down seven points in the game and Claire Kreschuk also added four.

“We had some great takeaways from the tournament, considering it was their first games ever,” said Barker. “I brought some Grade 9s along to strengthen our numbers, and they were also very impressive off the bench. Together their confidence increased in every game for the whole team.”

The Junior Girls (Grades 8-9), also coached by Barker, have a home-and-home game against Williams Lake Columneetza School today (Thursday, Jan. 26) at PSO.



kelly.sinoski@100milefreepress.net

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