St Joseph’s Wins 2016 More Hoops Tourney

On October 16, 2016, the St Joseph Bears defeated the St Mary’s Crusaders by a score of 30-29, in order to win the 2016 More Hoops Tournament in Hamilton, ON.

Tournament MVP, Paulla Weekes led her team in scoring with 14 points, including two of them in the dying seconds of the game in order to secure the win for her team.

The Bears, from Toronto, ON, won the game in dramatic fashion despite leading by 7 points with around four minutes remaining.

The Crusaders, who were the defending champions of this event, connected on two key 3-pointers by Vanessa Hughes and Madison Trpcic, bringing the game to 28-27 for St Joes.

Shortly thereafter, the Bears were dealt a blow when their co-captain, Anika Weekes, picked up her fifth foul and was disqualified from the remainder of the game.

The Crusaders then managed to get a stop on the pursuing Bears’ possession. And, on their next possession, scored two more of their own to complete the comeback. Monica Daley’s converted field goal gave the Crusaders the lead.

Queue the MVP.  With under 10 seconds remaining, the Bears’ other co-captain, Paulla Weekes, drove and completed a spin move to put her team up for good, giving her team the 30-29 lead, for which they would ultimately defend during St Mary’s next possession.

Of note for St Mary’s in the low scoring affair, Vanessa Hughes scored 16 points, including three 3-pointers in the second half.

In the semi-finals, St Joes defeated hosts the St Thomas More Knights (Hamilton), 41-35. St Mary’s earned their birth into the fInals, when they beat the Northern Vikings (Sarnia) by a score of 43-29.