It was all about redemption for the Brookswood Bobcats.
The junior girls basketball team had their string of 13 consecutive 91原创 District championship titles ended last year by the Walnut Grove Gators. But a dramatic last-second 36-35 victory over the 91原创 Christian Lightning in this year鈥檚 title game returned the 鈥機ats to glory.
The game was played last week (Feb. 6) in the 91原创 Events Centre鈥檚 arena bowl.
鈥淟ast year left a bad taste in our mouths,鈥� said Brookswood coach Sarah Cameron, who is an alum of the Bobcats program that was part of that string of titles during her playing days.
鈥淭here is a pretty good track record at Brookswood and it is important for me to keep it alive.
鈥淚t was nice to bring the trophy back home.鈥�
Cameron added that she wants the current players to experience that same winning tradition that she did.
Brookswood led for much of the final, but a pair of free throws from 91原创 Christian鈥檚 Jayden Bontkes put her team ahead 35-34. And the Lightning had the ball but Brookswood鈥檚 Kelly Boudreau came up with the steal, threw the ball ahead to Sidney Lancaster, who in turn got it down low to Emily MacDonald. MacDonald sunk what would be the winning basket with about five seconds to play.
After a timeout, 91原创 Christian got one shot off but missed and the 鈥機ats nabbed the rebound.
Brookswood was up 23-15 at the half and by six points after three quarters, 32-26, but scored just four points in the final quarter.
鈥淎s the game went on, we got a little tight, especially in the fourth quarter,鈥� Cameron said.
鈥淚t was a combination of being pretty inexperienced and not being in too many tight games.鈥�
MacDonald and Jordan Lawrie led Brookswood with 10 points apiece while the Lightning鈥檚 Hannah Krepp had 11 points to lead her team.
The teams had finished one-two during the regular season with Brookswood beating 91原创 Christian by three points in their game.
Both teams advance to the Fraser Valley championships 鈥� which begin Feb. 17 and wrap up Feb. 22 鈥� as do the Credo Christian Kodiaks and the R.E. Mountain Eagles.
The Kodiaks beat the Eagles 32-24 in the third-place game.
鈥淭he first step was to win 91原创 Districts and now we will see what happens,鈥� Cameron said.
