Niagara Juel getting close
The Niagara Juel girls basketball squad had high expectations going into league play last weekend.
“We were in Windsor this weekend and we had a goal of going 3-0 but came up short. We went 1-2. It just stung a little bit as we had two games that we let get away from us,” Niagara head coach Si Khounviseth said. “A little more finish on the offensive end and more consistent managing of the pressure and we would have achieved our goal of 3-0.”
He is far from discouraged.
“Overall a great weekend of learning and growth. We are getting better as team and as individual players. We are and other coaches are seeing it as well. We are beating teams we are supposed to beat and giving ourselves a chance to beat the top tier teams. We are playing hard and the more we can get into those games we will learn to win them. We are getting close.”
Niagara defeated the Brampton Warriors 70-49 and lost 61-54 to the Tri-County Soldiers and 55-45 to Windsor St. Clair.
Against Brampton, Niagara built quarter leads of 11-9, 25-22 and 45-38 on the way to the win.
Top performers for Niagara were: Shorleigh Burrows (Eden) with 14 points; Ava Froese (Smithville Christian) with eight points; and, Alena Tepsic (Saltfleet), Emma Vendittelli (A.N. Myer), Lauren Smith (St. Jean de Brébeuf) and Reese Bolibruck (West Niagara) with seven points each.
In the game versus Tri-County, Niagara trailed 17-13 after one quarter and 38-24 at the half before cutting the Soldiers lead to 44-42 heading into the final quarter.
Leading the way for Niagara were: Vendittelli with nine points and five rebounds; Alyah Pereira (Westdale) with seven points; Bolibruck, Keira Teske (Governor Simcoe) and Grace MacDonald (St. John Henry Newman) with six points; and, Brianna Davis (Blessed Trinity) witty five points; and, Jessica Sager (St. John Henry Newman) with five points and five rebounds.
Niagara started strong against Windsor St. Clair, leading 12-4 after one quarter and 26-12 at the half before get outscored 43-19 in the second half.
Topping the stat sheet for Niagara were: Vendittelli with 14 points; Bolibruck with 10 points and seven defensive rebounds; Tepsic with five points and six boards; and, Davis, Froese and Annika Rigby (Eden) with four points apiece.
