Nunavut basketball teams winning over Summer Games crowds

Team Nunavut men’s and women’s basketball squads mounted hard-fought efforts Tuesday evening but couldn’t crack the victory column in preliminary-round play at the Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, N.L.

Despite the losses, the players’ efforts on the court are winning hearts at the Games, said Olivia Tapatai, an assistant coach with the women’s basketball team.

“They are cheering for us, love our energy and love watching us play,” she said of the crowds’ reaction.

Both Nunavut basketball teams are winless after four games and out of medal contention. They now move into the consolation round, with the women playing Northwest Territories at 9:15 a.m. ET Friday while the men face Prince Edward Island at the same time.

In Tuesday night’s game, the women ramped up that energy as they took on Newfoundland and Labrador at the Memorial University Field House.

Nunavut got off to a fast start when Meriva Manebou-Ayuk of Iqaluit won the jump ball. Guard Mika Simic, also of Iqaluit, caught the ball and carried it over centre court.

She evaded a charging opponent and took her team’s first shot but bounced it off the rim less than one minute into the game. Seconds later, Simic passed to Princesse Siewe of Iqaluit. She fired a pass back to Simic, who sank her shot without any rim, putting Nunavut on the scoreboard.

Cheers and chants of Nu-Na-Vut echoed through the gymnasium.

In the second minute, Lia Dimitruk of Iqaluit tied the game 4-4 and as the first quarter ended Eleanore Aupaluktuq of Baker Lake broke free of her coverage to score a jump shot.

By that time, though, Nunavut trailed 19-6. And when the final buzzer sounded, Newfoundland and Labrador walked away with an 81-16 victory.

In the men’s game Tuesday night, Nunavut faced the New Brunswick squad at the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Centre.

Ngankam Yombang of Iqaluit put Nunavut on the scoreboard early, sinking two shots from the foul line in what was a fast-paced, physical game.

Jordan Rhodes of Iqaluit swiftly followed with a three-pointer, putting Nunavut ahead 5-2 in the opening minutes. Yombang scored another three-point basket later in the first quarter, followed by two points from Nolan Demerah of Kugluktuk to keep Nunavut ahead with a two-point lead.

Skylor Tiktalek of Kugluktuk scored soon after, but Nunavut still trailed 16-13 by the end of the first quarter. Another three-pointer by Demerah kept them within three points in the second quarter, but New Brunswick widened its lead after that to emerge with a 106-45 win.

“The boys have been working hard these past couple of weeks,” said Gavin Greenley, a men’s team assistant coach. “In their short amount of time together, they are improving each day.”

All the matches are available to watch live on the Canada Summer Games website.