Day 1 Recap: Strong Start at Nationals for Team Ontario
With victories from the U17 Girls and U15 Boys, Team Ontario compiled a 2-1 record during the opening day of competition at the 2018 Canada Basketball National Championships on Monday, August 6.
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U17 Girls
Competing in Fredericton, the U17 Girls—ranked No. 2 entering Nationals—delivered a strong showing in their tournament opener, cruising to a decisive 78-42 win over Team Manitoba.
“It was a great team effort and everyone was able to contribute to the win,” said head coach Fabienne Blizzard. “Our defence is what got us going offensively and helped start our transition game.”
“Defensively, we pressured Manitoba on and off the ball,” commented guard Isabella Belvedere. “Offensively, we pushed in transition to get open looks and we were patient in our half-court offence. … We finished the game strong and had a great start to our Nationals journey.”
See the full box score for U17 Girls Team Ontario versus Team Manitoba.
The U17 Girls face Quebec next on Tuesday, August 7 at 10:15 a.m. ET.
U15 Girls
The U15 Girls had their Nationals opener against British Columbia postponed due to a power outage. The teams will square off on Tuesday, August 7 at 2:45 p.m. ET.
U15 Boys
In Kamloops, the U15 Boys tipped off their stint at Nationals with a commanding 103-45 victory over Team Alberta. Waterloo native Josiah Davis led the way with 20 points and six rebounds, while team captain D.J. Jackson (Mississauga) added 18 points and three rebounds.
In total, four Ontario players scored in double figures, as the team deployed a balanced attack en route to a dominant Day 1 win.
See the full box score for U15 Boys Team Ontario versus Team Alberta.
The U15 Boys hope to keep the momentum going as they take on Quebec on Wednesday, August 8 at 4:30 ET.
U17 Boys
Ontario’s U17 Boys didn’t enjoy the same result as the other Ontario teams, however, as they fell to British Columbia, 87-75.
Milton’s Josh Bascoe contributed a team-high 20 points on six of 13 shooting, including four-for-eight from beyond the arc. Team captain Josh Primo (Mississauga) added 15 points and five rebounds while Okay Djamgouz (Oakville) chipped in with 10 points and four rebounds.
See the full box score for U17 Boys Team Ontario versus Team British Columbia.
The U17 Boys will look to get back on track Tuesday, August 7 as they take on Alberta at 12 p.m. ET.
Catch the Action
| Team | Date | Time | Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| U17 Girls | Aug. 7 | 10:15 a.m. ET (11:15 a.m. AT) | Watch U17 Girls game |
| U17 Boys | Aug. 7 | 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT) | Watch U17 Boys game |
| U15 Girls | Aug. 7 | 2:45 p.m. ET (3:45 p.m. AT) | Watch U15 Girls game |
| U15 Boys | Aug. 8 | 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) | Watch U15 Boys game |
Stay up to date with #TeamO at Nationals by following Ontario Basketball on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About Team Ontario
Team Ontario consists of the top male and female basketball players in the province in the U15 and U17 age categories, and the teams are a continual medal favourite at the annual Canada Basketball National Championships. Team Ontario’s coaching staff also represents some of the top coaches in Ontario. Between the four teams, Team Ontario has won gold at nearly 75% of the national championships since 2002.