Article By: Darryl Smart
It’s been a dream season for Richard
VanDeWiele and his Holy Trinity Titans, yet the junior girls basketball
team has taken nothing for granted.
After completing a perfect Norfolk Secondary
School Athletic Association regular season, the Titans continued to
roll, beating the Valley Heights Bears 33-24 in one semifinal game
Monday at home.
“They played hard and they dig, dig, dig,”
VanDeWiele said. “In junior basketball, anything can happen. They had
that one girl tonight that hit a couple big shots. No lead is too big
because if she hit a couple more, it could’ve been a totally different
game.”
With the win, the Titans will take on the
Simcoe Sabres in Wednesday’s final at 6 p.m. at Delhi District Secondary
School.
“The girls are excited about it,” VanDeWiele
said. “Today they knew they were going to have to come here and work.”
The Titans coach looks at the opening quarter as a perfect example.
“We’re down 6-4 and they came back strong,”
VanDeWiele said. “Earlier in the year they would’ve got frustrated. But
now they’re much more patient. They know they can do this. They just
have to bare down.”
Which is something they’ve had to do all season and hope to do in the final.
“We had a nice season,” VanDeWiele said.
“But nothing has come easy, that’s for sure. In every game the girls had
to work their tails off. The main thing is they work hard and have a
lot of fun out there.
“I’m really happy that all 13 girls played,
and contributed,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. With this group,
every girl is learning their positions, and getting better.”
Kate Wilhelmus Rachel Winger, and Sydney
Buis scored six points each for the Titans, while Brooke Magalas, Danika
Blake and Anna Mitchell added four. Justice Wilks and Taylor Ongena
each netted two points and Ling Li Wong had one.
Leanne Curwain led the Bears with six
points, while Courtney Cridland had four. Ashley Loshaw, Laura Reimer
and Clair Weaver each netted three. Alana Bridges, Julia Knelsen and
Caitlin Kuchar scored two each, with Sabrin Mattinson adding one.
The Sabres earned a date with the Titans thanks to a 29-11 win over the Delhi Raiders.
Hayley Smith led the Sabres with seven
points, with Julia Samborski adding six, while Emily Shuttleworth and
Bianca Bowen netted four points each. Alexandra Dockx scored three
points, while Victoria Lewis and Erica Wilhelmus had two, with Kassie Courrier adding one.
Victoria Johnson led the Raiders with six
points, while Sierra DeMaere added three, and Lily Johnson netted two.
