The 47th annual shoe game was nothing short of excitement as both teams showed up ready to do battle. The game was full of drama, it started out as slow methodical type basketball game that quickly turned into a game that the fans all loved. In the first quarter the teams played evenly as the Hornets were able to win the quarter 19-14.

However, the table turned very quickly on the Hornets as the Lakers out scored them by 22 points in the second quarter to take a commanding 17 point half time lead, as Ryan Sutcliffe poured in 11 of his team leading 21 points. The Lakers started the 3rd quarter where they left off as they pounded the smaller Hornets in the key with their size, and whenever Oliver closed down the inside Sutcliffe and his teammates hit key outside shots as they expanded the lead to 24 points, 59-35. It was then that the Hornets seemed to wake up, led by their grade 10 starter Gurkamal Dhaliwal and an intense defense the Hornets were able to cut the lead to 13 by the end of the 3rd quarter, as Dhaliwal hit for 12 points and the Hornets as a team hit five 3 pointers in the quarter.

The momentum shifted even more in the Hornets favour when Greet Gill subbed into the game. Gill who has been sidelined for the last 3 weeks due to a shoulder injury quickly went to work as hit four 3 pointers in the 4th quarter allowing the Hornets to take a 6 point win over the visiting Lakers 91-85.

The Hornets were led by Gurkamal Dhaliwal with 33 point Dhaliwal hit  8 3 pointers, Greet Gill 14 points, and Amit Chahal chipped in 13, followed by Raj Sidhu with 10. The Hornets had their highest second half output with a total of 62 points, and they had a combined total of 14 3 pointer. This was the 6th consecutive shoe game victory for the Hornets as they now trail the series 27-17. The highlight however was the fact that Josh Tester a special needs student at SOSS and the teams honorary captain was able to get into the game on two occasions. Thanks to the coaching staff at Pen Hi who had agreed to let him play Josh entered the game at the end of the first quarter and proceeded to hit two free throws in a row. In the third quarter Josh Tester got in for a second time, however his shot was a little off as he was unable to find the back of the net. The Wayne Radies size fourteen shoe was presented to Josh at the end of the game.  Next year will mark the 48th Anniversary that the two schools will play for the bronze runner. The game has been played by both teams, since 1963, however there is some that think it may go back to as early as 1962.

photo by Megan Basso