Welland U14 team nets semifinal berth
Warriors fall to Asia Pacific at Jr. NBA World Championship
The Welland Warriors girls under-14 team advanced to the semifinals as Canada’s representative at the inaugural Jr. NBA World Championship in Florida.
The Dave Picton-coached team went 3-0 in pool play and defeated South America 56-10 in the quarter-finals in the international bracket before dropping a 52-44 decision to Asia Pacific in the semifinal round.
They wrapped up play at the six-day, 16-team tournament in Orlando with a 71-38 loss to an all-star team representing the U.S. Midwest.
U.S. Central defeated a European all-star team 68-38 in the girls championship final, while U.S. Central defeated Africa and the Middle East 60-50 to win the boys flight.
Canada’s representative in the boys bracket, the Brampton Breakdown, suffered a 93-75 setback to Africa-Middle East in the international final.
Emma Koabel led the Warriors with 17 points and two rebounds in the loss to Asia Pacific.
She also topped the team in scoring with seven points in the loss to the U.S. Midwest. Aleksija Vukovic, who grabbed a teamhigh eight rebounds, and Alexis Wright each had six points.
Lara Cook, Gabriella Dipietro, Kennedy Millin, Corrynn Parker, Natalie Picton, Jayda Rodrigue and Maya Torigian also saw action on the court for the Warriors.
At Orlando, the went undefeated in pool play reeling off victories over Mexico, 63-20; China, 65-44; and Africa-Middle East, 72-63.
Welland qualified to represent Canada after defeating VK Basketball from Vancouver 56-53 with a defensive-stop on the final possession at a regional qualifying tournament played in St. Catharines.
The qualifier, which also saw Brampton top the boys division, was held in conjunction with the FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship in June, was highlighted by finals at Meridian Centre.
The 32 teams competing in the inaugural Jr. NBA World Championship experienced a trip of a lifetime. In addition to playing against some of the best youth players in the world, they got to meet three-time NBA champion Dwayne Wade and received messages of support from the Toronto Raptors as well as WNBA stars Kia Nurse and Kayla Alexander.