If not for the luck of the draw, the Sudbury Jam U16 Major Midget Girls might have even claimed one notch higher than the bronze medals they garnered at the Ancaster Magic Girls Basketball Tournament last month.
The locals had prepped in mid-December, sweeping an exhibition series in Parry Sound over the Orillia Lakers, PMBA (Penetanguishene Midland Basketball Association) Mystics and the Parry Sound Stingers.
Unfortunately, their tournament opener in Ancaster would come opposite a very tough foe, as a last second three pointer lifted the Timmins Selects to a 47-45 win over the Jam.
Kate Dahmer, Arielle Douillette and Jayme Anderson finished with nine points each for Sudbury. A sound defensive approach, combined with the ability to spread the scoring, were key in game two, as the locals defeated the Whitby Gladiators, receiving 10 points from both newcomer Aneisha Rismond, as well as team veteran Mia Filion.
With Douillette out of the lineup for game three (medical), the Jam struggled to find their touch offensively, but relied on their defence against the Orillia Lakers to ensure the team would have a shot at bronze, finishing in a three-way tie for second place in their pool.
Douillette was back in the fold with a vengeance on Sunday, netting a game high 18 points as the Sudbury girls quieted a home town crowd in the matchup of second place teams, knocking off the Grimsby Grizzlies.
Coached by the trio of Rick Filion, Larry Dahmer and John Desormeaux, the U16 Jam girls assembled a crew of Kate Dahmer, Aneisha Rismond, Amy Vis, Kristina Valle, Mia Filion, Jayme Anderson, Marissa Graffi, Josée Filion and Arielle Douillette.
The team will play in their next tournament on the weekend of February 10th to the 12th, competing in the MUMBA Invitational.
