Article and photos submitted by Becky Fitch and edited by BradfordToday staff. BradfordToday welcomes your submissions to [email protected]. Please include your name and daytime phone number (for verification purposes, not publication).
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The under-14 Sonics basketball team fought its way to a medal in the Ontario Basketball Association finals this past weekend, April 26-29, in Ottawa.
This team of 10 young men are one of South Simcoe Basketball’s first teams since the inception of the club in 2013, with many boys having played together for the five seasons. A new coach brought fresh ideas and a sense of mental toughness to the players this year.
The coaching change, along with some new players, led to a very successful season, ending with an impressive record of 28 wins and nine losses.
The team entered its final tournament ranked 18th out of 169 teams in Ontario. The Sonics began the tournament on Friday with a commanding win over the Brampton Warriors (75-58), and its winning streak continued through Saturday, beating Ottawa Next Level (60-38) and Durham Crossover Basketball (58-55).
These wins placed the team in the gold medal match on Sunday, where it would battle the Northern Kings, and earn a silver medal with a final score of 48-64.
Despite the team's final loss, it finished within the Top 10 teams in Ontario. The boys were able to learn valuable life lessons this season including: to never give up, to trust your teammates, and to consistently play your role on the team. These lessons will continue to inspire these young men long after the glory of their season fades.
The team could not have done it without the excellent coaching staff led by Head Coach Jim Hughes, and his assistants Deyshawn Gludd and Emile Rogado, who challenged the boys to excel. The team wishes to thank these coaches for their dedication and time, both on and off the court. Without these leaders, the team would not have been able to succeed.
The team also thanks the generous sponsors of the 2018/2019 season: Vaughan Chrysler, Anax Roofing, Botas Electrical Ltd., TJ Wholesale, Legends, Crabby Joe's Bradford, and YJ Graphix & Ink. Youth sports are enhanced when local businesses are willing to support athletes within the community and the team was able to fulfill their goals because of the generosity of these sponsors.
Team roster: Charlie H., Darius N., Deyvonte G., Edgar R., Frank C., Isaiah F., Jacob S., Nate M., Sebastien P., and Shahmir Z.
