While the business of the Yellowknife Basketball Association (YKBA) for 2022-23 wrapped up earlier this month, there was still one more item on the agenda for adult basketball.

And it was one which was very much welcomed back.

The Arctic Shoot-Out tournament returned to the courts at Weledeh and St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 Gymnasiums last weekend with the menSA国际影视传媒檚 and womenSA国际影视传媒檚 finals happening on May 7. Six menSA国际影视传媒檚 teams and three womenSA国际影视传媒檚 teams lined up to do battle and when the dust settled, the Regular Sonics came out on top in the menSA国际影视传媒檚 final defeating The Bay from Cambridge Bay, while the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 champs this year are Rag Tag.

Jeremy Bird from the Sonics said that his crew figured they would end up meeting Cambridge Bay in the final.

They were, after all, the reigning and defending two-time menSA国际影视传媒檚 champs having won back-to-back in both 2018 and 2019; the latter of the two finals went to double overtime.

SA国际影视传媒淲e played them in the last final in 2019 and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 exactly who we were expecting to see,SA国际影视传媒� said Bird.

The Sonics came out the better of the two teams in the opening quarter and went on a 12-4 run to open things up.

Bird said that, coupled with setting the tone on defence, gave them an early leg up.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e a long, athletic team, but (The Bay) arenSA国际影视传媒檛 scrubs at all,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey won this two times in a row for a reason and theySA国际影视传媒檙e a great team. We knew we had to go out with a solid line-up to start the game because we knew they would push us.SA国际影视传媒�

There was the return of Morgan Gallagher, one of the original Sonics, from Ontario for the weekendSA国际影视传媒檚 festivities. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 been living in Ontario since leaving Yellowknife a few years ago, but he came back to suit up for his old team.

SA国际影视传媒淢organ and I started the Sonics and weSA国际影视传媒檝e had it for about 12 years now,SA国际影视传媒� said Bird. SA国际影视传媒淗e let me know he was coming up and it made for a long weekend, but it was great to have him back in the line-up.SA国际影视传媒�

The win was a bit of redemption for Bird as his team, the Bureaucrats, was on the wrong end of the YKBA finals against the Avery Cooper Nuggets.

But there is some movement afoot, as Bird explained.

SA国际影视传媒淎fter such a successful weekend playing together, weSA国际影视传媒檝e officially signed Jonathan Sappleton (previously with the Nuggets) and Mike Gibbins (previously with the Jazz), who both played with us in the tournament, to the Bureaucrats for next season in hopes of returning the YKBA championship back to its rightful owner. Signing and official handshakes took place at Boston Pizza immediately following the games.SA国际影视传媒�

And since Gallagher never filed his retirement papers, he added, the Bureaucrats retain his rights should he decide to return.

On the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 side, Hayley Tait of Rag Tag said a lot of the ladies on her team hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 played together in a long time and she was unsure how the final would end up.

SA国际影视传媒淚 hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 played with some of them since our high performance days, but we had the expectation that we would do well,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e had some university players and it was great to be able to play with girls at the varsity level. They were a big reason we had great offence.SA国际影视传媒�

Those varsity players tait spoke of were Meadow Munroe, Mali Straker and Janet Enge.

The tournament was also a chance for actual competitive womenSA国际影视传媒檚 games, something which is in short supply in Yellowknife at the present time.

Tait said getting the chance to play against other women was incredible.

SA国际影视传媒淭here hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 been a tournament in three years and even then, there arenSA国际影视传媒檛 a lot of womenSA国际影视传媒檚 games,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭here isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a womenSA国际影视传媒檚 league in Yellowknife, so being able to reconnect as a basketball community and have that chance to play was amazing. The female basketball community is strong, but we just donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the chance to play like the guys do, so having that chance was great and I hope we get more chances.SA国际影视传媒�