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Locals school Yanks on hoops at Buffalo tourney

Some local girls can never get enough basketball.
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The Collège Notre-Dame Alouettes juniors and the Lo-Ellen Park Knights midgets claimed the city basketball championships this week. File photo
Some local girls can never get enough basketball.

Combining nine members of the Sudbury Jam U13 Girls team with one representative of the Timmins Selects, the hybrid U13 Canstars captured the Rochester Warriors AAU Tournament on the weekend of May 23 and May 24.

The Canadian crew wasted little time sending a message, displaying a suffocating defensive effort until their offence got rolling, thumping the host Rochester Warriors 41-17.

Facing a highly touted team top-seeded team from Buffalo, New York, the Northern Ontario were in tough early, facing an aggressive full court zone press and up-tempo transition game. Trailing 10-5 after the first quarter, the Canstars regrouped.

A packed gymnasium crowd were treated to great passing, strong finishing and timely outside shooting, as the locals (plus one) used an amazing 26-0 run to walk away with a 51-27 victory.

Fully aware of a possible letdown, the Canstars focused on maintaining their intensity and relying on their trademark teamwork to subdue the JT Wildcats from Pennsylvania 37-14. Hamburg would provide one final test for the north-of-the-border contingent, though they were truly no match for the confident Canucks.

Dominating at both ends of the court, the Canstars cruised to a 38-8 win, heading home with a championship banner and unblemished 4-0 record. The lineup for the gold medal winning team included Delaney Bourget, Grace Smrke, Dylann Mazzuchin, Cassy Yurich, Jadyn Weltz, Mireille DiMaio, Claudia Olutayo, Shannon Clarke, Sami Dunlop-Bassett and Giulia Wilson.

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