The Skeena Junior Secondary Junior girls basketball team has returned with a second place finish from zones in Smithers Feb. 18-19.
“It was unreal, they just wouldn't give up,” said coach Arnie Pelletier, who has been coaching some of the players since they were 11.
Game one started off strong for the Wildcats when they beat out Smithers Secondary 54-48.
Game two saw more of a struggle, as the team lost to the Rupert Rainmakers in a close match of 42-40.
The third match was against Bulkley Valley Christian, and Skeena won 58-50, advancing to the finals.
The fourth and final game was another match up with the Rupert Rainmakers.
The Wildcats started out with a lot of fight, but were hampered by some of the senior players who were battling illnesses.
After fighting through the first two periods, the Wildcats managed to take the lead by the end of the third quarter, 33 -30.
However, after a lot of back and forth, the game went to the Rainmakers in the end 46-40.
Pelletier said the fight and perseverance of the team was unbelievable with sick players refusing to come off the court, and younger members of the team really stepping up.
He adds even spectators in the crowd stopped to tell him how amazing the Skeena team was.
“It was just an unreal year, and I am so impressed with the maturity and drive of the girls,” Pelletier said.
Tournament all-star was Kerstin Anderson and MVP went to Kailynn Pelletier, which she accepted with the whole team on the grounds that without them, there would be no MVP.