Last Wednesday and Thursday, the elementary school boys and girls took over the gyms at Gibsons Elementary School and Elphinstone Secondary School for the annual boys' and girls' basketball play days.
Exciting finals in both the girls' and boys' A Flight championship games were easily the tournament highlights, with the West Sechelt girls avenging an earlier tournament loss to Roberts Creek, with a decisive 9-2 win in the final.
Tourney MVP Andrea Palmer was a tower of strength throughout the tournament, leading the West Sechelt girls to the win.
On the boys' side, the Roberts Creek squad gave the defending champs from Gibsons everything they could handle, scratching back from an early eight-point deficit, only to lose 21-19 in a thriller.
The difference was the steady play of Tyler Nestman, who controlled the Gibsons backcourt and drove hard to the basket all day.
Event organizers wish to congratulate the Gibsons boys and the West Sechelt girls as 2004 tourney champs.
Organizers also wish to thank referees from Elphi and Chat and the scorekeepers who made the tournament a success; Deborah Palmer and Sue Budgell, principals at Elphi and GES for giving up their gyms; and P.E. teachers Bill Sluis and Lynn Moran for giving up time to assist the elementary basketball program.
