Day 2 Recap: U15 Girls Take Centre Stage for Team Ontario at Nationals
Day 2 of the 2018 Canada Basketball National Championships on Tuesday, August 7 saw three Ontario teams in action, as the U17 Boys took to the court in Kamloops while the U15 and U17 Girls graced the hardwood in Fredericton.
That's a wrap for Day 2 of the @CanBball Nationals! #TeamO combines for a 1-2 record, as the U15 Girls earn their first win of the tournament.
Back at it again tomorrow. #OntariosVeryOwn pic.twitter.com/DVy6PQZIpG
— Ontario Basketball (@OBABBall) August 7, 2018
U15 Girls
After a power outage halted play in Fredericton on Monday evening, Ontario’s top-seeded U15 Girls saw their first action of the tournament on Tuesday, earning a hard-fought 59-51 win over British Columbia.
Ontario was paced offensively by the duo of Abigail Jegede (Toronto) and Izabella Zingaro (Bolton), who each contributed 11 points. Keswick native Isaline Alexander also delivered a strong showing, totalling five points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
“We had an excellent start to the game and managed to build on it early in the third quarter,” said head coach Gord Everett. “I’m proud of our ability to weather the storm late in the game and bounce back from last night’s postponement. We look forward to building on this first game throughout the remainder of the week.”
See the full box score for U15 Girls Team Ontario versus British Columbia.
The U15 Girls will be back in action on Wednesday, August 8 against Quebec at 12:30 p.m. ET.
U17 Girls
Team Ontario encountered a familiar foe on Tuesday, as the No. 2-ranked U17 Girls to fell to top-seeded Quebec, 74-60, in a rematch of the 2017 Canada Summer Games final.
After taking a modest two-point lead into the locker room at halftime, Team Ontario was outscored by Quebec, 49-33, in the second half.
Kingston’s Maggie Besselink led the way for Ontario with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Callie Wright (Markham) chipped in with 10 points on an efficient five-for-six shooting.
See the full box score for U17 Girls Team Ontario versus Quebec.
“We played three strong quarters of basketball,” said head coach Fabienne Blizzard. “This loss provides us with an indication of what areas we need to improve for the rest of the tournament. We have a great group and I know they are capable of great things when the focus is about ‘we’.”
“We learned a lot during this game and now we are ready to utilize this knowledge for our other games during the tournament,” stated guard Andrea Dodig (Bolton), who tallied eight points, four steals and three assists in the loss. “We are ready and eager to get back on the court on Thursday. This is only the beginning for our team.”
Despite the loss, Team Ontario (1-1) has secured a bye to the quarter-finals where they will take on Team Nova Scotia on Thursday, August 9 at 5 p.m. ET.
U17 Boys
Meanwhile, in Kamloops, Ontario’s U17 Boys suffered their second loss of the tournament, dropping a tightly-contested affair against Alberta, 92-85.
Mississauga natives Josh Primo and Tyler Delevante each scored 15 points, while Ben Li (Markham) added 13 points and nine rebounds. Aurora’s Ryan Nembhard displayed excellent vision and poise at the point guard position, netting five assists to go along with eight points and seven rebounds.
See the full box score for U17 Boys Team Ontario versus Alberta.
The U17 Boys will take on Manitoba on Wednesday, August 8 at 9 p.m. ET in the quarter-finals.
U15 Boys
After earning a decisive 103-45 win over Alberta on Day 1 of Nationals, Ontario’s U15 Boys team enjoyed an off-day on Tuesday.
Team Ontario will conclude pool play with a matchup against Quebec on Wednesday, August 8 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Follow the Action
| Team | Date | Time | Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| U15 Girls | Aug. 8 | 12:30 p.m. ET (1:30 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 |
| U17 Boys | Aug. 8 | 9:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. PT) | Watch U17 Boys game |
| U17 Girls | Aug. 9 | 5:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. AT) | Watch U17 Girls game |
Stay up to date with #TeamO 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.