The 1st Annual Niagara Region High School Basketball Showcase made it's debut in the Welland Campus Athletic Centre on Tuesday night and was a rousing success. The night featured both a girls and boys showcase game, featuring 45 student-athletes representing 19 different Niagara Region high schools.
Both games were highly competitive throughout and demonstrated the tremendous basketball talent that can be found in the Niagara Region. On the girls side Team Blue used a strong second half to secure a 51-44 victory over Team White. Team Blue was paced by Sofia Al-Kayed (St. Francis), who led the way with nine points. Kayla Bevacqua (Notre Dame) and Alex Klauck (Lakeshore) led the way for Team White with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
In the boys game, Team Blue put together a 67-63 victory over Team White. A pair of brothers led the way in the contest with Team Blue's Sefa Otchere (St. Paul) led his team with 13 points in the victory, while brother Asare Otchere (St. Paul) scored a game high 20 points for Team White in a losing cause.
The event was the latest addition to the Niagara College Knights' showcase series, which launched in June of 2014. The Niagara Knights' soccer programs, led by Welland native Frank DeChellis, have hosted three successful showcases of their own. The third annual Niagara Region Boys' Volleyball Showcase was played in December 16th, while the third annual Niagara Region Girls' Volleyball Showcase is set for March 21st, 2017. This was the first time that basketball has been added to the roster of games.
The most valuable player in the girl's game was Sofia Al-Kayed (St. Francis), while Sefa Otchere (St. Paul) took home the honours in the boy's game.
Girls Participants
Team Blue
Lauren Frasca (Notre Dame)
Kate Raso (Notre Dame)
Emily Bonisteel (EL Crossley)
Kerri Lyn Jones (Lakeshore)
Isabella Favero (Lakeshore)
Sofia Al-Kayed (St. Francis)
Sencia Lampman (Port Colborne)
Sabrina Evans (Beamsville)
Cloey Lymburner (South Lincoln)
Tessa Czerlau (Holy Cross)
Team White
Kayla Bevacqua (Notre Dame)
Olivia Turko (Notre Dame)
Logan Tworyczuck (Lakeshore)
Alex Klauck (Lakeshore)
Maddie Wilcox (Lakeshore)
Kirstyn Atkins (Centennial)
Leanna Meinders (Smithville Christian)
Paige Epp (Grimsby)
Chioma Nwebube (Great Lakes Collegiate)
Erin Giroux (St. Francis)
Boys Participants
Team Blue
Desmond Taylor (St. Catharines Collegiate)
Sefa Otchere (St. Paul)
Dakota Follick (St. Francis)
Tyrell MacLennan (St. Francis)
Jacob Labonte (Jean Vanier)
Ivan Peso (Holy Cross)
Asim Serri (Sir Winston Churchill)
Noah Harris (Stamford Collegiate)
Tyreese Harbour (Stamford Collegiate)
Ryan Kort (EL Crossley)
Reuben Vermeer (Smithville Christian)
Kyle Cooper (Notre Dame)
Team White
Asare Otchere (St. Paul)
Johnnie Richardson (St. Paul)
Tatenda Dandato (Holy Cross)
Ryan Benevento (Sir Winston Churchill)
Symphorien Ilunga (Dennis Morris)
Diego Ruiz (Sir Winston Churchill)
Colton Spencer (Thorold)
Matt Johnston (Sir Winston Churchill)
Harrison Enns (Sir Winston Churchill)
Carl Paulemont (Centennial)
Christian Anderson (Westlane)
Mitch McArthur (Dennis Morris)
Ethan Scott (Port Colborne)
Robert Smith (St. Catharines Collegiate)
