The eighth annual Yukon Lights Out Basketball Tournament concluded on Feb. 2, with teams from Vancouver and Whitehorse claiming the top spots and each taking home $1,250 cash prizes.
The tournament, held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, saw 290 players registered across 30 teams competing in approximately 75 matches over four days. This year's rosters included competitors from the Yukon, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Alaska.
The tournament was divided into four divisional categories based on age and gender. The first two days featured round-robin matches, which led into weekend playoffs. The championship matches concluded the tournament on Sunday.
The Strathcona Women's Basketball Club from Vancouver faced off against the Sugar Crisp Shooters from Whitehorse in the finals at F.H. Collins Secondary School on Feb. 2. The Vancouver club clinched victory with a 48-34 win.
Surprise Munie and Dahria Beattie led the offence for their respective teams. Munie, representing Strathcona, tallied eight successful shots, while Beattie secured six for the Sugar Crisp Shooters.
Meanwhile, two Whitehorse-based teams battled for the men’s championship title after knocking out teams from Dawson and Haines during round-robin and playoff matches. The Air North Jets and the Average Goats faced off in the finals at F.H. Collins on Feb. 2, following the women's finals.
The Air North Jets emerged victorious, defeating the Average Goats with a score of 74-55. Dan Penner and Osavaldo Jeanty led the offense for the Air North Jets, consistently hitting the net throughout the game. Both Penner and Jeanty scored 11 times. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Jones of the Average Goats put in a strong effort to mount a comeback, scoring 13 times.
The Lights Out Basketball Tournament featured several junior teams competing for prizes from Yukon Built and the title of the Yukon’s strongest youth team. Youth teams from Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Fort Ware in B.C., Yellowknife, and Inuvik in N.W.T. participated in the event.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary sent its Crusaders boys’ basketball team to compete in the tournament, leading to a finals match against the Inuvik team. The junior boys’ final took place on Feb. 2 at F.H. Collins, where the St. Francis team narrowly defeated the Inuvik team 55-49.
Three junior girls teams from Whitehorse schools, F.H. Collins, St. Francis and Porter Creek were on this year’s rosters to fight for the divisional top spot. F.H. Collins' girls team made it through to the finals against Porter Creek, defeating them 48-33 in the first championship matches on Feb. 2.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
