It’s Namestnik’s time at Churchill
The proverbial torch has been passed and Anya Namestnik has grabbed it with both hands.
Although a key cog in the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs’ last two championship runs, both she and her coach agree that this year’s team is ‘hers’.
Namestnik’s leadership skills were on full display in the Bulldogs quarter-final 46-20 win over the Smithville Christian High Storm of the BPSN Senior Girls Tournament. Not only did she knock down seven threes and score 23 points, she was all over the floor leading the team in rebounds, steals and blocks.
Her new role is not lost on her or her coach, Frank Keltos.“She certainly has realized that this is her senior year and she has to be the one to lead this team,” Keltos said. “She’s always been able to score but now she talks more and she has more of a presence on defence, when she always relied on Kate (Smyth) last year as the crutch to lead the defence.”
Namestnik is fully aware of her expanded role and would love nothing more than to lead her team to a fourth straight BPSN title.
“The goal is definitely to win and I think it would great to do it with this team,” she said. “This year I am trying to be more vocal — tell people when they’re doing well and when they make mistakes, that it’s okay and keep trying.”
Both Namestnik and Keltos realize that ‘four-peating’ won’t be easy, noting that each game gets tougher as they move forward. The Bulldogs will face the Eden Flyers in the semifinals.
“We know that each game is going to get harder and harder, so we need to put in our best effort each time we get on the floor,” Namestnik noted.
Keltos was in full agreement.
“We said we want to get better each day and slowly climb the mountain. I think anybody can beat anybody on any give day. We are excited about it and we will see what happens.”
As for the Storm, coach Tawnia Hultink was pleased with her team’s efforts despite the 26-point loss.
“Games like this help us moving forward,” she said. “It’s good to put the pressure on our girls and I think after we got past our nerves, we did a decent job against it (the press).”
The nerves may have been a factor as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 16-4 first quarter lead and stretched it to 24-8 heading into the halftime break.
STATS PACK
Bulldogs 46 Storm 20
Cat’s Caboose Player of the Game: Churchill’s Anya Namestnik with 23 points and a complete floor game.
For the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs: Namestnik 23; Addison Torigian 7; Marlowe Zekan, Noah Hoff 6; Kiera Pink 4
For the Smithville Christian High Storm: Claire Bylsma 7; Talia Hultink 5; Sadie Thibault, Eva Fluit, Tanya Nywening, Brooke Haanstra 2
The tournament is made possible with the help of Women Networking in Sports of Niagara, Tora Inc., Ridley College, Alltech Automotive, St. Catharines CYO Basketball, Pelham Panthers basketball, Niagara Falls Red Raiders basketball, the Niagara District Referees Association, the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board.
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