The Skeena Grade 8 girls' Wildcats basketball team swept northwest zones last weekend in Smithers.
Teams from Smithers, Prince Rupert and Terrace met in Smithers for the zone play downs.
One of the Wildcats' coaches, Dave Crawley, said ultimately it was solid defensive play that led the team to two straight wins and the zone title.
Game one saw Skeena pitted against Bulkley Valley Christian school (BVCS).
“It was a slow start .. they had a slow first quarter,” Crawley said.
However, once the team settled in, it was in good shape to finish the match with a 42-24 win over BVCS.
Prince Rupert Middle School knocked out Smithers Secondary in its first game, leaving Terrace and Prince Rupert to meet up in the final.
“It went very well,” said Crawley of the final match, noting the Wildcats took a good lead in points early in the game.
“The girls just played awesome defence ... we really frustrated their offence,” Crawley continued.
When the seconds ran off the clock, it was the Skeena Wildcats who were in the lead, beating out Prince Rupert Middle school with a final score of 40-30.
“We just played the ball smart, and they didn't score much on us,” Crawley said of the finals.
Tournament all-star was Anke de Wit, and the most valuable player was Carley Davies.