Imagine, if you will, February 2020. The world was first hearing about this super-virus making its way around the planet, but it had yet to reach our fair land here in the NWT.
The Junior Cager basketball tournament was just finishing up and all was going well. So well, in fact, that there was talk about how things would go for next year.
Little did the Cager know that it would end up being the last school sports tournament until September 2022.
For the first time since that fateful year, the Junior Cager was back this past weekend with games happening all around the city. Six banners were up for grabs SA国际影视传媒� boys and girls in each of Grade 6, 7 and 8 divisions SA国际影视传媒� with most of the winners determined on Saturday. The only division which went to Sunday was the Grade 8 boys, a battle between St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 White and St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 Green.
That contest ended up being a 68-59 win for St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 White, a bittersweet win in the opinion of Jozuard Mercado, who was one of the student coaches for the team.
He said it was a shame only one of the Irish teams could come out on top.
SA国际影视传媒淲e wanted both to win, but we knew that would be impossible to do,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 White jumped out to a big lead in the first half and that gave the team a chance to empty the bench. St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 Green, though, used that to their advantage and slowly crept back into the picture.
Justin Quito, who was one of the St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 Green student coaches, said had there been some more time, things couldSA国际影视传媒檝e ended differently.
SA国际影视传媒淭ime just wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 our friend,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e couldSA国际影视传媒檝e done it with a few more minutes, I think.SA国际影视传媒�
St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 also won the Grade 8 girls division to give the Irish a sweep. William McDonald also had a sweep of their own as the Wildcats took both banners in the Grade 6 division. The Grade 7 division saw St. JoeSA国际影视传媒檚 win the girls title and Princess Alexandra School of Hay River claim the boys crown.
It was a rather exciting win for the Panthers as they had the Grade 6 boys and Grade 7 girls teams on hand at Range Lake North Gymnasium and they were celebrating right along with champs, said Panthers coach Jason Morrissey.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had our fans and Weledeh had their fans, so it had a hometown feel to it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was just sheer joy for our kids and the parents. We had some of the kids in tears and some of the parents as well. Just a really cool feeling.SA国际影视传媒�
That was the sentiment among some of the other student coaches at St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚, including Naledi Ndlovu, who was coaching the St. PatSA国际影视传媒檚 Green team.
SA国际影视传媒淚t felt really good seeing the kids get back to doing what they love and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 playing sports,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏eing away from it took a toll on the athletes and the morale level was really down, but you can see the difference now that itSA国际影视传媒檚 back.SA国际影视传媒�
The Senior Cager, featuring the older students, is set to tip off on Thursday.
