One last high school hurrah for Bolibruck
Reese Bolibruck enjoyed her final chance to play high school basketball.
The Grade 12 student at West Niagara suited up in her Grade 9 year at Sir Winston Churchill before joining the Niagara Prep Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association program for her Grade 10 and 11 years. West Niagara’s season came to an end last week with a loss to the Eden Flyers in the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association Zone 4 AAA final but the 17-year-old enjoyed the ride while it lasted.
“This year was really nice to play high school again. It’s just playing with your friends and getting to play every day after school with the same people.”
In the final versus Eden, the 5-foot-11 player was double-teamed every time she handled the ball but it’s nothing she hadn’t seen before.
“Most of the time my teammates are able to help me out,” she said.
Bolibruck was an excellent high school teammate, making sure to get other team members in spots where they had a chance to score the ball.
“I just like it when everyone on the team gets to score.”
She came into the fall on a high after spending the summer with Team Ontario.
“It was excellent. The coaches were really good and they helped me a lot.”
It was a great summer for her development.
“The intensity was high there and it helped me to play at a higher level.”
She was able to make the team because of her skill level and other attributes as well.
“One of the coaches was talking to me and she said that one of the reasons they chose me was my good attitude and stuff like that. At one of the tryouts, even though it was a tough, competitive environment I was still trying to help out the other players if they didn’t understand something.”
Bolibruck doesn’t think she will return for a 12B season and is aiming to play at the post secondary level.
“I am working on finishing and being more physical and I think Team Ontario helped me with that too.”
After leaving the Niagara Prep program halfway through last season, she found a home with the Niagara JUEL squad based out of Pelham.
“I really liked it and Si (Khounviseth) is a great coach. He’s intense but I like the way he comes over and tells you stuff.”
She is excited for the upcoming JUEL season.
“A lot of people I used to play with are with me again now which is exciting and at all of our practices everyone is positive and ready to work.”
Khounviseth is thrilled to have Bolibruck back for another season.
“We were very happy with her first year with us and we are excited to have her for the full season,” he said. “Reese is very talented and we look forward to helping her achieve her athletic goals to play at the next level. She is a hard worker and a great teammate. She is very coachable and has a great attitude. We believe she can be an impact player for us and at the next level with her combination of talent, skill, leadership and commitment to getting better.”
