Magnolia Community Center's 10-year-old girls basketball team, the Canadian Muchachos, captured the silver medal in the all-city Bronze League Championship tournament March 25 at the Meadowbrook Community Center in Northeast Seattle.
The Muchachos entered the tournament with a 7-1 regular season record, after clinching the division title on March 18 with an exciting 20-18 win over Hiawatha Community Center's Eagles. The Magnolia team was given a first-round tournament bye due to their division title.
Tournament play began for the Muchachos on March 21 at the Delridge Community Center in West Seattle. Paired off against the Eagles' sister Hiawatha team, this semi-final game found the Magnolians off to a rocky start, trailing 14-0 at the conclusion of the first quarter. From then on out, however, it was all Muchachos.
Powered by gutsy shot-making and a smothering defense, Magnolia closed the deficit to 15-10 by halftime. Magnolia forward Nancy MacGeorge, drained a 15-footer at the third-quarter buzzer, narrowing the gap to 18-16.
With four minutes left in the game, the Muchachos had matched Hiawatha at 18. The score toggled back and forth, creeping up to 21-21 when, with 1:33 left in the game, Muchacho point guard Anna Gilbert hit a three-pointer to put Magnolia up for good.
The game did not end without drama, though. With Magnolia in front 24-23, Hiawatha was given the opportunity to in-bound the ball under their basket with one second on the clock. Once in play, MacGeorge tangled with the Hiawatha player receiving the ball; the fouled player was brought to the line for two shots.
With no time on the clock and a completely silent gymnasium, the Hiawatha player narrowly missed both free throws, igniting a raucous celebration on the Muchachos' bench as well as among the Magnolia fans.
With their semi-final win, Magnolia was matched against an undefeated Jefferson Community Center team. In a packed Meadowbrook facility and among a sea of red-clad Muchachos' supporters, Magnolia jumped to an early lead, with MacGeorge supplying the offensive spark.
The Muchachos led at both the conclusion of the first and second quarters. Jefferson, however, came out battling in the second half, fueled by excellent ball handling and precision playmaking. By the end of the third quarter, Magnolia had fallen behind 22-12.
At the game's end, the final score was 26-14, with Jefferson dropping in 17 second half points to the Muchacho's 4.
Magnolia Community Center's own Doreen Deaver, alongside coaches Todd Hyatt and Dave Reuter, was at the post-game ceremony to present the Muchachos with their awards as the tournament's silver medalists.
Magnolia finished second out of 17 citywide Bronze League teams.[[In-content Ad]]
