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Basketball briefs: Ultimate Fan Pack, Niagara JUEL

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The Niagara River Lions, Niagara IceDogs and Welland Jackfish have brought back the Ultimate Niagara Fan Pack for the 2023 holiday season.

The collaborative ticket package includes two mid-level tickets for each of the region’s favourite sports teams for the cost of $115 with a portion of all ticket sales being donated to Golf Fore All. Golf Fore All is an initiative that helps those with disabilities learn and enjoy the sport of golf. The packages will be sold until Dec. 22, 2023.

The package was introduced in 2021 after River Lions’ vice president of operations Michelle Biskup approached the IceDogs and Jackfish with the idea.

“We are excited to bring back the Ultimate Niagara Fan Pack this holiday season,” Biskup said. “Collaborating on this ticket pack is a great way to build a sense of community and give residents across Niagara the opportunity to experience and support their local sports teams.”

The Jackfish are happy to be part of the venture.

“The Fish are excited to welcome River Lions and IceDogs fans to The Pond yet again with this amazing package. The Jackfish can’t wait to introduce River Lions and IceDogs fans to a Jackfish show.”

Fans can purchase the ticket package by visiting www.riverlions.ca/fanpack

NIAGARA JUEL

The Niagara JUEL girls basketball team opened exhibition play last weekend with a close 51-47 loss to Halton.

Shorleigh Burrows of Eden led Niagara with 11 points and Alyah Pereira of Westdale chipped in with nine.

“It was our first game. I was really pleased with our effort considering it was our first game of live action and we had limited practice,” Niagara head coach Si Khounviseth said. “I was quite happy with how we played and there were lots of good things. Shorleigh Burrows had an outstanding game.”

Khounviseth is settling in as the new head coach.

“We have a lot of work to do but I really liked what I saw and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Other members of the team are: Brianna Davis from Blessed Trinity; Annika Rigby and Anna Deliyannis from Eden; Ava Froese from Smithville Christian; Jessica Sager and Grace MacDonald from St. John Henry Newman; Alena Tepsic from Saltfleet; Emma Vendittelli from A.N. Myer; Keira Teske from Governor Simcoe; Amelia Siolkowsky from E.L. Crossley; Hannah Braye from Westlane; and, Lauren Smith from St. Jean de Brébeuf.

Bernie Puchalski, a graduate of Brock University and Niagara College, worked in journalism in Niagara for more than 27 years before taking a voluntary buyout from The Standard at the end of 2016. He started his career as a news reporter for the Niagara Falls Review before switching to sports reporting. He was a sports reporter and sports editor at the Niagara Falls Review before joining the Standard's sports department in 1996. He was named the Standard's sports editor in 2000 and became the regional sports editor, in charge of the Niagara Falls Review, Welland Tribune and Standard, in 2015, a position he held until he left the company. During his time in newspapers, he was a multiple winner and finalist for numerous Ontario and Western Ontario Newspaper Awards for sports reporting, spot news reporting and humour writing. He was a member of the Standard Boys Basketball Tournament committee and co-chair of the Standard Girls Basketball Tournament, helping to raise tens of thousands of dollars for bursaries presented to participants in the tournament. He also served on countless local sports committees both in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines.

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