Girls' basketball team shows sportsmanship to opposing player

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While they were playing to see who would earn third place at a girls’ high school basketball tournament in Moncton, two teams took the time to show sportsmanship to the other.

Fundy High was matched up against the host L’Odyssée in the third-place game of a weekend hardwood event. By the second quarter, Fundy was out to a convincing lead, but head coach Paul Fudge decided to do something for one L’Odyssée player who was coming off the bench.

He said he told his players to let L’Odyssée’s player score – she stood much smaller than the rest of the players – and signalled to their coach Alicia Duguay to get the ball to Grade 9 player Annie Leger.

Leger usually doesn’t play, but on Saturday, she got her shot, taking to the court alongside players over twice her size. After a couple attempts, Leger made it onto the score sheet with a layup.

When Leger made her basket, Duguay said that the whole gym was cheering, including both benches. She said it made for a magical experience for everyone.

“I’d just like to thank that team, and the players, and the coaches, even the parents (to) just be so welcoming and letting her have her moment,” said Duguay. “When she got that first basket, and when she did her layup, she had the biggest smile on her face, and that brought everything together, we’re so proud of her … it probably made her want to continue basketball.”

It proved to be a highlight moment in the latter part of the current New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association season for both teams.

“She was so excited, and parents were crying, and the players on both benches were jumping, and screaming, and cheering,” said Fudge. “We were walking out, and her mother was actually in the lobby waiting for me. She had a smile from ear to ear, and she still had tears in her eyes.”

When Leger made the layup, Fudge said that she ran over to her family, and high-fived folks in L’Odyssée crowd. He said as a coach, they always want the kids to be safe and have a good time.

Duguay said the girls they play are usually twice as tall and big as Leger, and that as a Grade 9 student, she normally doesn’t make it on the court. That changed against Fundy.

“It probably made her whole season being able to score that many points,” said Duguay. “It is a competitive sport, and it was a third-place game, but also, they put that aside to make this little girl’s day.”