Vanier Spirits Open Season With A Win
The Vanier Spirits senior girls basketball team started right where they left off in the 2023/2024 season defeating the Peacock Toilers 71 - 58 to kickoff the 2024/2025 season on Tuesday evening.
Newly minted Spirits head coach Alisha Amey described the outing as a “fun game.”
“I loved the competitiveness for both sides. The games this year in the senior girls league they are all going to be really close,” Amey said.
Despite the 13 point victory the Toilers were right behind the Spirits.
The score after the first quarter saw the Spirits with a slim five point lead in a 17 - 12 score.
Just before half time the Toilers tied the game 28 a piece but the Spirits managed a bucket to give them a 30 - 28 lead at halftime.
Despite falling behind by the end of the third quarter the Toilers were close with Vanier leading with a 51 - 44 score.
Three point baskets sunk the Toilers as they ended up losing 71 - 58.
“The energy on both sides of the court for both teams was great. I loved every second of it,” Amey said.
“ I don’t expect anything other than that from Peacock. They are well coached. They have great girls and I just love it,” she said.
When she was asked what was behind the Spirits victory she said it was team work.
“Everyone sharing the ball and everyone buying in to play defence. And just teamwork that’s what we’re all about.”
The Spirits are running with a ten player bench so far this season.
The team has six returnees from last season. There are three grade twelves and three grade elevens who returned from last season.
“We just gave ten girls (on the bench). We are a lean mean fighting machine,” she said.
To try to increase participation on the team the team is out there promoting girls basketball.
Peacock Toilers head coach Brendan Fedoski said “it was a really fun and competitive game. I think we started right where we left off with Vanier last year. It was a fun game.”
Asked about how the Toilers hung in the game step by step behind the Spirits for three quarters he said it came down to more practice.
“I think if we can control the boards a little bit more it would be a better outcome for us. It’s one of the things we’re focusing on. We can just improve from here,” Fedoski said.
Vanier moving ahead came down to their making three point shots.
“Irelandi Gullame she made some difficult three point shots I think that is the difference in the game. We also finished around the rim a little bit more it’s something we need to practice to make it a much closer game.”
The Toilers are set to work a lot on defence after the game result.
“We’re going to work a lot on defence making sure we don’t pick up those fouls and We’re able to stop the second and third opportunities that we’ve been given to them,” Fedoski said.
The Toilers are sitting on a potential powerhouse with nine players returning from last season. The returnees include six grade twelves and three grade elevens.
There is only five new players joining the team - three grade elevens and two grade tens.
