FALL RIVER: Great defence makes for great offence.
That’s how the Georges P. Vanier Viper girls’ basketball team earned the victory over Sackville Heights to claim the regional championship.
For the Grade 8 players, the win marked a special moment as they wrapped up their junior high careers with a title.
“It was really fun,” said Lily Munden of Fall River.
“GPV hasn’t really won in a while, so it was a good way to end our middle school career.”
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The Vipers overcame an early-season setback, dropping their first regular-season game before steadily improving as the year went on.
“We didn’t have the greatest start to the season,” said Becca Barkhouse of Waverley.
“But over time we did a much better job working as a team to secure wins when it came down to the important games.”
The championship matchup with Sackville Heights was the second close meeting between the two teams. In an earlier game, the Vipers rallied late to win by a single point.
In the regional final, the Vipers were able to take control earlier, building leads as large as 10 points before eventually pulling away for the nine-point win.
Leading the Vipers offensively was Violet Manley of Waverley, who finished with 17 points. Kaylah Duncan contributed 14 points in the victory.
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Balanced scoring and strong teamwork were key to the win.
“The starting five really spread out the scoring,” said Taylor McNulty of Fall River. “We pushed the ball and passed it to the open spots, and that helped us get easy baskets.”
Defence also played a key role in the championship victory.
McNulty spent much of the game guarding one of Sackville Heights’ top players, helping generate turnovers and fast-break opportunities.
“Great defence makes great offence,” Barkhouse said.
The Vipers also had to keep their composure in a loud and energetic environment, with a packed gym and enthusiastic crowd throughout the game.
“It was definitely a different atmosphere,” Manley said. “There were lots of people there and it was loud, but we kept our composure and played our game.”
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For many of the players, the championship was the result of years playing together through youth and club basketball.
“We’ve played together since Grade 5,” Munden said. “It was really nice to finally achieve that goal.”
With the win, the Vipers close out their junior high careers with a regional title and a memorable final season.
“It’s a really good memory to have,” Barkhouse said.
“I think it was one of the best games we played all year.”