Eight-grade Tigers take second straight title
GILROY – Behind an MVP performance from Amanda Spellman, the South Valley Middle School girls basketball team won its second straight Gilroy Jr. High Fastbreak Tournament title.
The Lady Tigers eighth-grade hoopsters bested the 10-team field of the fourth annual girls tournament on Nov. 22-23 at the new Solorsano Gymnasium. Along with Spellman’s accomplishment, teammate Rachelle Travis was named the defensive player of the tournament. In addition, Vanessa Wilkins was named to the All-Tournament first team and Brittany Balanesi was selected to the All-Tournament second team.
South Valley defeated Washington Middle School in the championship game as Spellman led the way with nine points and Balanesi added eight. In a losing effort, Mia Musones, the tournament’s most outstanding offensive player, put in four points for the Broncos.
In the seventh grade division, Los Banos took the title led by Erika Mello, who was the most valuable player, and Jessica DeArmon, who was named the offensive player of the tournament. Los Banos defeated Leyva in the seventh grade championship with DeArmon netting eight points and Megan Fahey adding six points.
Brownell seventh grader K. Pineda was selected the the All-Tournament second team.
The participating school swere South Valley and Brownell, both of Gilroy; Bret Harte, Leyva, Martin Murphy, and Clyde Fischer Middle Schools, all out of San Jose; St. Catherines School in Morgan Hill, Washington Middle School in Salinas; Los Banos Jr. High in Los Banos; and Fitch Middle School from Seaside.
The tournament was run through the Gilroy Community Services Department – run by director Neal Andrade, coordinator Bob Burch, supervisor Sandra Sammut, and superintendant Cheryl Bolin.
