On the heels of Richmond teams finishing first and third at the B.C. Grade 9 Championships there is more encouraging signs of how bright the future is for girls basketball in the city.
Richmond Youth Basketball League’s U13 Renegades capped an outstanding season with a thrilling last-second victory to capture Basketball B.C.’s Metro League championship.
Played on Trinity Western University’s home court in Langley, Marina Radocaj’s basket lifted the Renegades to a nail-biting 65-63 victory over Coquitlam’s Jabogs.
The title game culminated a season that began back in November. RYBL finished second in league play — behind the Jabogs (Just a bunch of girls) who also happened to be the defending champion.
Richmond defeated South Burnaby 49-30 in the semi-final to earn the opportunity to face the Tri-City juggernaut one more time.
Radocaj, who was joined by Caitlin Kippan as the team’s two offensive forces, hit a three-pointer with 50 seconds remaining to tie the game at 63-63. When the Jabogs missed their chance to take the lead, the Renegades called timeout to advance the ball up court with three seconds left. The girls executed a strategic play designed by their coaches and Radocaj drained her buzzer-beater shot.
The dramatic finish capped a terrific game that showcased both teams’ excellent skill level to produce so many points at their young age.
The Renegades also feature Merve Medik, Lexi Lawson, Shila Rasoul, Victoria Lu, Gabriella Trahan, Amelia Spiteri, Quincy Hinds and Maya Jurosevic.
Coaches Jamie Kippan and Zoran Radocaj couldn’t be more proud of the effort, dedication and perseverance the girls showed all season, culminating with the league championship.
