The girls of summer

BY SCOTT HADDOW

There are weeks, even months which can fly by and all Kristine Lalonde and Tiye Traore do is play and practise the sport of basketball.

They sacrifice everything, except food and academics, to continually improve their game and make it complete and have their senses and instincts razor-sharp.

The sacrifices on family and social time is irreplaceable, but to the two young athletes, it's worth every bit of anguish.
Recently, both girls were named to provincial Team Ontario squads for a summer of intense action.

Lalonde will suit up for the Team Ontario Under-17 juvenile team, while Traore will line up for the Team Ontario Under-15 midget team.

The girls made their respective clubs from their determined efforts displayed last month in try-outs in Toronto and Hamilton against the best players from across Ontario.

Traore tried out for Team Ontario last season, but failed to make the grade. Traore used the experience as motivation this time around and she wasn't letting anything stop her in her quest to be one of the best in Ontario for her age group.

"It gives me a huge boost in confidence," the 14-year-old said. "It feels good to know I can play at that level...and be one of the top players in the province. I didn't make it last year, so I just worked harder this year and it paid off. It took a lot of hard work to earn the spot...it will take more work to stay at that level."

Traore opened a lot of eyes in the local basketball loops with her inspiring play as a Grade 9 student with the Lockerby girls' senior squad, which typically, in any school, features mostly Grade 12 athletes with a few Grade 11 players.

Traore was a starter on the team and asserted herself quite well by being a scoring presence with a strong defensive game.

"Tiye was always a contributing factor...getting rebounds, blocking shots, putting up points and playing great defence," Lockerby girls' head coach Sean Green said. "She's amazingly athletic and has advanced skills for a Grade 9 player. She's gifted with good genes."

For Lalonde, it represents the fourth time she has made the cut to join Ontario's elite. She will be called upon to deliver dominant offensive games with commanding leadership as she knows the program like the back of her hand.

The leadership role is one Lalonde feels confident to execute. She stepped up and took on a leader role with the Lancers senior girls' basketball team this past season, helping them win the city and NOSSA titles.

Lalonde has a dynamic game and can overcome many opposing team's defences even if they're sending out to two defenders to guard her.

"Kristine is a competitive kid and has the ability to take over a game and dictate what happens," Lasalle girls' head coach Bill Gordon said. "She has so many gifts offensively, when she bears down, she can be tough to stop. When she wants to grind down and get it done on defence, she's a tough check as well."

Traore will travel to Kamloops from Aug. 5 to 9 for the midget national championships. She will also play in a major showcase tournament in Chicago. Traore is motivated to win a national gold medal and will do everything in her power to help Ontario realize the dream.

Traore is looking forward to the rigorous challenge of being on the provincial squad. Challenges are what makes Traore tick.

"I love to be challenged in sports and life," the five-foot-11 forward said. "I find I do better when I am challenged because I have to push myself harder and I get better. I'm always working at basketball...every day."
Traore is going to give Ontario a forceful shot in the arm.

"Tiye is a fierce competitor...she loves and wants to win," Green said. "She works at her game all the time. It's amazing how driven and focused she is for someone her age. She has all the right pieces and her potential is limitless."

Lalonde already has an impressive haul from her three previous trips to nationals with Team Ontario - three gold medals. Lalonde will go for her fourth gold in PEI from Aug. 19 to 23, and loves the fact she has seen the country because of Team Ontario. Lalonde has gone to Alberta, Quebec and B.C. over the last three years. "I want us to be the best in Canada," the five-foot-10 guard said. "Being on the team...I've learned a lot of life skills through the experience. I'm excited to go." Lalonde is still developing and has talent still to be tapped which is a scary thought for her opponents.

"I don't think Kristine has reached her full potential yet," Gordon said. "She was, by far, the best player in the city this season. She's one of the top guards in the province, whether it's point or shooting. Kristine is going to be very good for a long time."

Both athletes will return to their respective high schools in the fall to compete in the senior girls' Division I league again. Traore still has three years left in high school, but she already knows she wants to play university basketball when it's all said and done. Lalonde will have a busy 2008-09 as she will be highly coveted by just about every university in Canada and many NCAA Division I schools.