Silver Lining

Monday, 20 January 2014 at 11:19

Oxford Attack U-12 girls bring home a silver from Ancaster tourney

The inaugural Oxford Attack Under 12 Major Atom Girls competitive basketball team finished with a 3-1 record and won an amazing silver medal in an eight team sanctioned tournament in Ancaster over the weekend.

The Attack girls played shorthanded in the tournament but responded admirably and played some of their best basketball of the season.

The Attack opened against the Blessed Sacrament Yellow Jackets and Attack guard Amanda Witmer played the game of her young career scoring 12 points and generated numerous fast break baskets for her teammates leading to a solid 36 – 26 win. Hannah Cowan netted 10 points and played tough defense against the Yellow Jackets biggest post player. Logan Machin had 5 points for her team.

The Attack next faced the Orillia Lakers and played their most dominant game of the season with a resounding 44 – 17 victory. Emma Hagen-Johnson helped dismantle the Laker full court press by moving to a guard position and used her speed to promote the Attack fast break and finished with 14 points. Cowan also had 14 points and Witmer netted 10 points.

The Attack finished unbeaten in pool play after defeating the Tillsonburg Tornadoes 43 -22. Hagen-Johnson continued her fast breaking ways with 12 points. Ashley Docherty had 6 points and Kyra Rothernel garnered 4 points. Alexis Birch had 2 points and numerous assists on Attack in-bound plays to her teammates all weekend long. Ten out of eleven Attack players scored in this game.

The Attack met the Timmins Selects in the gold medal game and came out on the short end of a 50 -27 score. The under manned Attack girls battled the Selects very well for the first half but tired in the second half and succumbed to a deeper team. Numerous Attack girls played extra shifts for the Attack in the final and this will help the depth of their team immensely as their season progresses. Laila Taha and Judy Seng have become much better defenders and their court awareness has also improved. Ashley Docherty established a career high 13 points and Ainsley Docherty netted 4 points in the final but both girls also brought a new level of aggressiveness to their game that transferred to their teammates. Larissa Bayliss also played her best game for the Attack in the final netting 4 points but also helped with guard play and contributed improved defense.