Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

INUVIK
The competition was fierce as the percussion of four basketballs echoed in the Samuel Hearne Secondary School gymnasium on Friday and Saturday. About 45 students participated in a basketball clinic on Friday and Saturday and 38 students played in the eighth annual three-on-three tournament on Saturday afternoon.

Vanessa Lennie attempts to keep the ball from Fort McPherson player Colleen Kangegana Saturday at the three-on-three tournament at Samuel Hearne Secondary School. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

Fort McPherson's Raptors junior girls team beat out the other three Inuvik girls' teams while all teams in the junior boys division were from Inuvik with the Canucks winning the round robin. The senior boys/staff category was nabbed by Ice Jam of Inuvik over two other Inuvik teams and one from Fort McPherson.

It was the first time the tournament was scheduled for a weekend, outside of school hours and vice-principal Lorne Guy said that had a lot to do with the level of competition the students brought to the court.

"Traditionally, we ran it at lunch hour … This time around, the competition was much better because we had a few kids who were there because they're basketball enthusiasts. They came on the weekend because they like basketball," said Guy.

"The focus is on the actual sport."

The event was sponsored by Basketball NWT and the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation's Hoops for Heart Campaign. Nick Diem of Basketball NWT conducted the clinic.

"You learn how other people are playing," said junior boys player Jackson Christie.

Chris Nerysoo said playing with different people makes the game more of a challenge and more interesting.

"We're also playing in a smaller group, smaller area. It makes it a little bit hard," he said.

For three-on-three basketball, four games went on in the gym simultaneously. The students were their own referees, forcing them to watch their actions as well as the other players on the court.

"You have to call the shots, pay attention and keep your eye on the people," said 16-year-old Alisa Nogasak.

The tournament is traditionally put on during the second week of January, just before the students buckle down for exam period.

Guy, who helped organize the clinic and tournament, said weather deterred Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk from attending, but he was pleased the communities had shown interest.

"You have kids coming in from different communities so you get a chance to really compare and for our kids, it's just different kids than they traditionally play against."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.