PECI senior boys qualify for OFSAA basketball – first time in school history

PECI Senior Boys Basketball team photo: (front row) Brodie Byford, Dylan Morrow, Jack MacCool, Devon Wilton, Alex Arsenault (back row) Rob Garden (coach), Logan Stark, Joe Burley, Ian Forsyth, Thomas Davies, Owen Wang, Ben Clarke, Justin Smith, Gabe Goad, Taylor Reddick (coach) (absent) Kaleb Stacey, Caleb Hugh (coach).

The PECI Senior Boys Basketball team made school history Friday by winning the AAA COSSA Championship held in Peterborough. They now have their sights on  the AAA Ontario Federation School Athletic Association games in Hamilton March 3-6.

The team defeated the #1 seeded St. Peter Saints 59 – 40 in the finals.

“This is the first time in school history that a senior boys basketball team has qualified for OFSAA,” said Rob Garden, one of the team coaches.

The semi-final game verses Thomas A. Stewart was one of the biggest, most athletic teams faced all year, Garden reports.

“It was a back and forth game that looked more like a football game at times, and the boys found themselves down 23 – 19 at the half. After the break, the boys started to find their stride and the shots started to fall and they pulled out a 50 – 42 win. Alex Arsenault scored 14 while Logan Stark chipped in 10.”

The championship game verses St. Peters started off slowly for both teams.

“We found ourselves up 26 – 24 at the half, but we knew that if we stuck with the game plan, good things would happen. Sure enough, we had a 20 point third quarter including four three-pointers!”

St. Peter’s didn’t have a response and PECI stretched the lead in the 4th quarter for a dominant win. Alex Arsenault was once again the leading scorer with 25 points while Logan Stark and Devon Wilton chipped in 10 each.