INUVIK
The East Three Elementary School Wolves may have made some sporting history over the weekend.

The East Three Elementary Boys basketball team captured the Junior Cager tournament title in Yellowknife over the weekend. Pictured in the back row from left are Jackie Dayman (coach), Nathan Dayman, Jason Jacobson, Jacob Israel, Kieron Clement, Junior Arey, Jason Dayman (coach), Nicholas. Dayman and Tyson Mistaken Chief. In the front row from left are Parker Burns, Jordan Dayman, Sam Skinner, Caden Sutton, Christopher Haogak and Shane Bleakney. - photo courtesy of Jason Dayman

The boys basketball team is believed to have won the first territorial school title in Inuvik history with a 35-18 win over Mildred Hall from Yellowknife.

The team played an 18-game season for the first time, losing only four games in the process, said team member Sam Skinner. Ordinarily, the team might play a six-game schedule at the most.

Most of the boys didn't realize they were on the cusp of history until after the win, Skinner and teammate Nicholas Dayman said Feb. 24 as the school celebrated the win with a banner presentation at the school gym.

Both credited the coaching and substantial amount of practice time the team was put through as the key to their win.

"We practised a lot," said Skinner. "We practised before school, we practised after school, we practised on breaks and at lunch."

"It was the practice," Dayman agreed.

Jackie Dayman and Jason Dayman coached the team, which also did remarkably well at a tournament in Whitehorse in January as a trial run for the NWT school championships.

Jason, the vice-principal at East Three Elementary and a basketball enthusiast, said he thought the team's success came from their devotion to learning, playing as a team and the endless repetition of skills.

"They worked hard," he said. "And they played as a team."

Most of the team will remain intact for next season, he added, meaning a dynasty of sorts could be in order. Only two members are graduating to East Three Secondary School at the close of this academic year.

"We think we could be right back there again next year," Jason said. "And we think the girls team could be there with us.

Dayman thanked everyone associated with the team for their support, including the parents. He said it's a major undertaking to arrange a travel schedule like the team played this year.

In a display of real sportsmanship, East Three played the final two-and-a-half minutes of the game four-on-four after the Mildred Hall team suffered an injury to a player and had no substitutes.