The Grand Forks Secondary School (GFSS) senior boys’ basketball team ran the table with a 3-0 record, winning home tournament this past weekend.
The senior boys defeated Trail’s J.L. Crowe 55-46 on Friday before defeating Nakusp 58-38 on Saturday morning and then Mount Sentinel 56-40 on Saturday afternoon – the tournament didn’t have a playoff and was best strictly on win-loss record.
GFSS guard Jason Usselman led the team in scoring against Crowe with 18 points while Damien Rougeau (21 points) and Max Nicholson (16 points) were leading point-getters against Nakusp and Mount Sentinel respectively.
GFSS senior coach Michael Wirischagin was happy that his team took first place and while he said the team started strong, he wished it would finish that way too.
“All three games we came out hot. We didn’t necessarily hit all our shots but we were able to limit our opponents from scoring,” Wirischagin explained. “We got a cushion in all three games and we didn’t play so well in the second quarter. In the first two games, I’d say we played better first halves, than we did second half’s, especially in our second game, we didn’t play a good second half at all, in fact if you were to add up the points, we probably (were outscored) in the second half.”
The senior Wolves’ head coach did think the team finished the tournament strong with its win over Mount Sentinel, saying that the win was more of a complete game from the team.
Wirischagin lauded Usselman and Rougeau as players that stood out throughout the tournament and also was pleased with Nicholson’s play in the final game.
“Maxwell Nicholson is a heart-and-soul type of guy and he went out there and he played at both ends and he made his opportunities. He went to the right spots, he got the ball and he put it in the hoop,” said Wirischagin.
“I think in (the Mount Sentinel) game, we played a really solid, full game,” Nicholson said. “I think this was my best game for sure because I was doing the flex cuts. It wasn’t all me at all. I was just in a good spot for the offence to get all its baskets – that’s why I scored.”
Wirischagin was concerned the two games on Saturday would affect the team’s energy level and planned accordingly.
“I don’t think the (two games) did affect us. I thought it would but ultimately, I don’t think it made much of a difference, maybe near the end of the game but I also called the timeouts to give our team an extra break,” he said. “I thought it would’ve played more of a factor but ultimately I don’t think it did.
The team has a tournament in Kelowna next.