SUMMERSIDE – It was everything a championship game should be.
The Summerside Intermediate School (SIS) Owls and Stonepark Tigers battled right down to the final seconds to determine the girls’ gold-medal-winning team in the P.E.I. School Athletic Association intermediate AA basketball championships on Tuesday night. The two teams battled back and forth throughout the game that had a noisy and appreciative crowd at the SIS gymnasium on the edge of their seats When the final buzzer sounded, the Owls celebrated a nail-biting 41-39 victory.
“That game was the pinnacle of the season for both of these teams,” said Owls head coach Sean MacDonald. “You have to take you hat off to Stonepark. They went undefeated this season, they are a terrific and well-coached basketball team.
Click here for story on boys' final between East Wiltshire and Athena:
The P.E.I. School Athletic Association intermediate AA basketball championships were on the line at Summerside Intermediate School on Tuesday night. Jill Power, 15, of the Summerside Intermediate School Owls drives to the basket while being defended by the Stonepark Tigers’ Katie Vidito in the girls’ final. Power scored the winning basket as the Owls pulled out a thrilling 41-39 victory.
“(Tuesday), we had to play a strategy to keep the ball to the outside, try to prevent penetration in the key and for us we had to win it on the boards.”
Jill Power scored the championship-clinching basket in the final minute as she grabbed a defensive rebound after a couple of Stonepark misses, brought the ball up the floor, drove to the basket off the left wing against two Stonepark defenders and calmly laid the ball in off the glass with 41 seconds remaining.
Power finished with 11 points and Paige MacLean led the Owls with 16 points. Sydney Lawlor (15) and Katie Vidito (7) were Stonepark’s top scorers.
“Everybody stepped up their game, and they knew what they had to,” said MacDonald, who described the victory as a “team win.”
To illustrate how close the game was, the teams were tied 7-7 after one quarter, 20-20 at halftime and the Owls took a 30-29 advantage into the final eight minutes. The Owls’ biggest lead in the game was four points in the second quarter, and the Tigers led by as many as five early in the fourth.
“We called a timeout a minute, minute and a half into the fourth quarter just to settle the kids down,” said MacDonald. “They scored four quick ones and we knew we had to stop it. “We just wanted to get the kids under control, settle down, go through what we know we can do and execute.”
MacLean was named the provincial championship tournament’s most valuable player.
“Paige is just a phenomenal kid, not only on the basketball court but off the basketball court,” said MacDonald. “She is the consummate team player, coachable, great kid and is so athletic. She does anything you ask her to do and more, and is as tough as nails.”
Paige MacLean, 10, of the Summerside Intermediate School Owls drives to the basket as the Stonepark Tigers’ Jaelyn Power plays defence. The action took place during the girls’ gold-medal game of the P.E.I. School Athletic Association intermediate AA basketball championships at Summerside Intermediate School on Tuesday evening. The Owls prevailed 41-39, and MacLean was named the provincial championship tournament’s most valuable player.
Bronze medal
In the bronze-medal game, the Queen Charlotte Coyotes outscored the Birchwood Cobras 49-35 at SIS on Tuesday afternoon.
Sydney Strain scored a game-high 28 points, including 14 in the opening half, to lead Queen Charlotte, which jumped out to an early 16-5 first-quarter lead.
Amy Plaggenhoef had 19 to pace Birchwood’s offence.
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Top Players
Provincial championship tournament awards:
MVP
Paige MacLean, Summerside Intermediate.
All-Stars
Jill Power, Summerside Intermediate
Sydney Lawlor, Stonepark.
Katie Vidito, Stonepark.
Sydney Strain, Queen Charlotte.
Abby McGeoghegan, Birchwood.
Sydney Lawlor, Stonepark.
Katie Vidito, Stonepark.
