Portage Selects U14 Girls Take Winnipeg Basketball Scene By Storm – PortageOnline.com

Dave McLeod, head coach of the Portage Selects U14 girls basketball team, is pleased with how his team prepared for the tournament in Winnipeg last weekend.

No one would have believed that the team would have made it to the finals before taking second place as an underdog.

“The team performed brilliantly. We're going up against club teams from around Winnipeg and Manitoba that have been training for months, probably several times a week,” McLeod continued. “We had five practices so the expectations were pretty low, but I think the girls stepped up and did a lot better than we thought they would.”

He said the coaching staff is proud of how the team has performed considering the short amount of time the team has had.

“I look forward to working with this group in the future,” smiled the coach.

Laura Pin averaged 14 points per game in the tournament. The Oakville student says he's proud of his team for going as far as they did.

“I'm proud of our team for working so hard and finishing second.”

Pin noted that this is his first year playing and he wants to continue to work on his shooting and defense.

“I go to the net, and you get a lot of layups. My main thing is to go to the net and hopefully get a layup, floater or pass it.”

Dave McLeod, Laura Peen and Scott Peen.

Laura's father, Scott, tells PortageOnline that as a parent and former PE teacher, it's been great to see the kids come together like they have.

“They stepped up and stood up. As a parent, I couldn't be more proud not only of my daughter, but also of the other players. There were kids from 8th to 6th grade. growing through the tournament.”

The Selectmen will look to build on their runner-up performance this spring and bring home a championship in the Winnipeg Junior Basketball Association.