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INUVIK
Basketball players from across the Beaufort Delta converged on East 3 School's gym Jan. 18 to participate in a sport clinic and three-on-three tournament.

Fourteen-year-old Keisha Shaimaiyuk takes a shot from the three point line Jan. 21 while practising the new skills she gained from the basketball clinic and three-on-three tournament which took place at East 3 School Jan. 18 and 19. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo

Participants in the two-day event were taken back to basics as they worked on dribbling, passing, layups, shooting, rebounding and defence.

"When I was a player I picked up bad habits just because I wasn't doing things properly," said event organizer Lorne Guy. "The clinic emphasizes the importance of doing them the right way."

About 30 players from Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk and Fort McPherson were involved in the second annual clinic while 20 teams entered the ninth annual three-on-three tournament. The Beaufort Education Council in conjunction with Basketball NWT put on the event.

Over the past few years, Guy said he has noticed a growing enthusiasm for basketball in the region. He mainly credits Basketball NWT ,and those involved with the not-for-profit organization, for the change.

In Inuvik in particular, he said, East 3 elementary vice-principal Jason Dayman and gym teacher Shane Brewster have really been instrumental in creating an interest in the sport.

"They've both been running a Steve Nash basketball program every Saturday," Guy explained. "They've been doing that for a while now and that's just continued to foster the positive enthusiasm toward the sport and it continues on when those kids come to the high school level."

Jozef Semmler is one high school student who has been hit with the basketball bug. The sixteen-year-old has played in the three-on-three tournament for a few years running. He said what keeps him coming back is love for the game. This year he also took away a few lessons from the experience.

"I learned to play with my teammates more in a game situation instead of just practice," he said, adding they really improved on communication. "I need to work a bit more on my shot. It wasn't the greatest this weekend. I usually shoot better."

Semmler's team, called LOL, finished second in the senior boys division. They came out strong in the final game against the Twin Lakers, he added, but couldn't keep it going until the end.

"We started off the game, we were winning by two and then one of the other guys from the other team got in the zone and started hitting his shots," he said, before skipping to the end of the match. "It was 6-6 with a minute left and they got another point. We had the ball again but we missed our last shot."

Still, it wasn't so much about who won or lost, it was more about what the students took away from the experience, Guy said.

"I think our regional tournaments have provided an opportunity for not only our students but the community schools to bring their players here and participate in a worthwhile event," he said. "I'm just hoping the more we do types of things like this the more kids understand the importance of being physically active and learning a little bit about their bodies, learning a little bit about healthy competition and learning a little bit about what it takes to be an athlete."

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