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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A Fort Simpson team has returned with bronze medals from the NWT Power Corp. Senior Basketball Cager after narrowly missing a spot in the finals.

The U19 Wolfpack's Brandon Tonka looks to pass the ball during a match against Fort McPherson at the NWT Power Corp. Senior Basketball Cager in Yellowknife on Feb. 25. The team finished third in its age division. - Richard McIntosh/NNSL photo

The U19 Wolfpack won three of its four games at the tournament in Yellowknife from Feb. 24 to 26.

The team's first game was its best, a 59-33 win over Hay River, said Kristen Morrison, who coached the team along with Neil Barry.

"Everybody came ready to play and offensively and defensively contributed while they were on the floor," she said.

Laurent Isaiah contributed significantly to the win by denying a particular Hay River player the ball, part of the defensive game plan, while still managing to score 25 points, said Morrison. Charles Gargan scored 15 points and came down with 15 rebounds during the game.

In their second game, the Wolfpack defeated Fort McPherson 72-23 with Isaiah scoring 39 points and Gargan 20. The team's trajectory in the tournament, however, changed during the semi-finals, which they got a bye into.

Semi-finals

In the semifinals against Sir John Franklin High School, a Yellowknife team, the Wolfpack didn't play as a team and allowed Sir John to out-hustle them, said Morrison. As a result the team was playing catchup most of the game.

In the last minute of the game, the Wolfpack was up by two points but Sir John scored a three-pointer with seconds remaining on the clock to seal the game. The loss moved the Wolfpack into the bronze medal game against Hay River where it won 55-49, securing third place in the U19 age division.

During the game, many of the team's players were hitting their threes including Dwight Hardisty, Rylan Hardisty-Gillis, Adrien Tremblay, Brandon Tonka and Gargan, while Steven Thompson provided some assists. For all of the team's players, except Isaiah, the tournament was their final game with the Wolfpack before graduating. Morrison congratulated them on their hard work and a great basketball season.

A second Wolfpack team, playing in the U15 age division, also had its ups and downs over the weekend.

The team lost to St. Patrick High School Black 46-16, but narrowly defeated Hay River 39-37 in a later game.

During the game, Devan Horassi scored 21 points, 12 from the three-point line.

"He was on fire," said Morrison.

Both teams played strong defensively and offensively exchanging the lead throughout the game, she said. With only seven players the team didn't have many subs.

"Everyone we put in was 100 per cent hustle and performed to the best of their ability," said Morrison.

The Wolfpack went on to lose 54-25 to St. Patrick High School Green and 59-11 to Yellowknife's Sir John Franklin High School in the quarterfinal.

The team did win its fifth game against St. Patrick High School White 34-18 before ending the tournament with a 46-34 loss to Inuvik.

"They played to the best of their abilities in every game," said coach Neil Barry about the athletes on both Wolfpack teams.

Barry said the U15 team did well considering some of the players had only been practising for a few weeks prior to the tournament.

Despite only two wins, Morrison said the team has been inspired to keep playing.

"They had a really good weekend," she said.

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