Makayla and the Tigers are Classic champions
The Mary Ward Tigers girls basketball team rode the hot shooting of Makayla Scott-Bush to a 36-27 victory over the Saint Peter’s Panthers Thursday at Saint Francis in the championship game of the Niagara Classic Invitational Elementary Basketball Tournament.
After the Panthers watched Mary Ward and Makayla play Wednesday, they were more than a little worried.
“Mikayla is a phenomenal player and we couldn’t find a weakness in her game. I was thinking maybe she was big and she can’t run but nope. She can run, she can move and we knew we would have to work hard this game,” Saint Peter’s coach Linda D’Addario said.
The Grade 7 student scored 30 points, including 21 in the first half, as the Panthers built quarter leads of 15-6, 25-11 and 31-18. She was named her team’s player of the game while Olivia Sabourin was named the top hoopster for Saint Peter’s.
The 12-year-old Scott-Bush is relatively new to the sport after starting three years ago.
“I was at a soccer tryout and a girl that played basketball, her dad saw me and asked if I could come try out for the team. So I did and they took me on the team,” Makayla said. “I loved it right away. I like the teamwork and the environment that I am in. It makes me have a positive mindset.”
She plays for Kia Nurse Elite in the summer and the Pelham Panthers in the winter and spring and is not sure where she will take her basketball in the years ahead.
“Maybe Saint Paul or Myer or maybe a prep school. I am not sure yet.”
Norra Marrie added six for the winners. Other members of the championship team were Brooke McIntyre, Julianna Bruni, Stella Folino, Bianca Nero, Madelyn TenDen, Sarah Babin, Grace Bredin, Sydney Vanklinken and Ella Yetman.
“The girls played phenomenal. They showed great grit, sportsmanship and they didn’t let up from the very beginning. They continued to work hard and I am so proud of each and every one of them,” Mary Ward coach Donna Renda said. “We set the standard high but at the same time we were taking it one day at a time. We kept winning and persevering and it was a tough week with tough competition.”
Scoring points for the Panthers were Marlowe Zekan with 14, Olivia Sabourin with 10 and Skyla Ragozias with three. Other members of the team were Emma DeSantis, Audrey Pigeau, Lexi Kusamovic, Moyosore Soji-Cole, Sienna Felice, Maya Gilbart, Avery McMann and Addyson Inch.
Mary Ward has only two girls who play basketball away from school and the rest are new to the sport.
“They come in day in and day out and they are willing to practise and they work hard,” D’Addario said. “When we went to the tournament, we were pleasantly surprised at how well they were doing and all the girls played a fair amount in every game. It was a total team effort and we are led by our captains Marlowe Zekan — she had some phenomenal games — along with putting in points. We try to win games by playing defence and they move well. We were excited with their grit and determination the whole tournament and they had a lot of fun.”
She is glad the tournament is back after a lengthy absence.
“It was run fabulously and they did a great job. I played in this tournament 25 years ago and I couldn’t wait for it to come back. It was public and Catholic back in the day and we had 32 teams.”
Organizers restarted the tournament this year with 16 Catholic teams but plans moving forward are to add 16 District School Board of Niagara teams next year in both the boys and girls divisions.
