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GW Graham girls claim title for first time at home tournament

The Grizzlies emerged from a stacked field with three wins to claim the GWG Showcase Invitational title.

GW Graham’s senior girls basketball was the last team standing in a stacked field at the GWG AA Showcase Invitational Tournament.

Four of the top five ranked AA teams in the province tipped off at GWG Thursday through Sunday.

The No. 3 ranked Grizz were joined by the No. 2 Immaculata (Kelowna) Mustangs, No. 4 Okanagan Mission Huskies and No. 5 Langley Christian Lighting.

The No. 10 Britannia Bruins were also in the mix.

The Grizzlies, who’ve never won their own tournament until now, started off with a 58-32 win over un-ranked Holy Cross.

They toppled the Bruins 62-54 and outlasted the Lighting in Saturday’s championship game, winning 62-54.

“We started the season off pretty rocky with some tough scrimmages that showed us just how much work we needed to do,” said GWG head coach Sarah Mouritzen.  “We have a solid group of girls that are working extremely hard everyday and the tournament is the result of that.”

Deanna Tuchscherer was named the tourney MVP.

Jaya Bannerman was named a first-team all-star and Julia Sprott was named a second team all-star.

Tuchscherer and Bannerman combined to average 35+ points per game with Bannerman adding eight steals per match.

“Lots of young players stepped up as we have been riddled with injury,” Mouritzen added. “Against Langley we got  key shots and rebounds  from Julia Sprott and Aliza Dueck and great defense from Sofia Armengual.

“A great zap of energy from the bench came from Gracyn Anderson and we were able to hold off a push from them in the last five minutes.”