The GSBA (Greater Sudbury Basketball Association) U12 Storm Girls came within a single basket of possibly earning a promotion in phase one of OBL (Ontario Basketball League) play, pre-Christmas, and now their opponents are paying the price.

Staying put in Pool F of U12 play despite posting a record of 4-2 in October/November, the girls who are developing under the watchful eye of head coach Jamie Lamontagne recorded a pair of solid wins, following re-ranking, earlier this month in Toronto.

Facing an Etobicoke Thunder team that had dropped from "Pool E" to "Pool F" in the 2026 re-rank, the Storm displayed a commitment to running the floor, a focus that was evident right from the opening tip.

With a quartet of outstanding ball-handlers advancing the ball (Lorelei Shonwise, Ivy Blouin, Fiona MacDonald, Lennix Burgess) with smart decision making, the Sudbury girls played at a pace that allowed them to control the game, defeating the Thunder 46-31.

The defensive growth and interior presence of the team, notably with the likes of Kaiyah Contois and Mikaela Dubé, were on full display in game two as the GSBA reps stomped MUMBA Elite 50-12 after opening the 2025-2026 season with a 51-21 win over the same opponent.

Along with that victory, the Storm felled the trio of the YNBA Avengers (44-20), New Horizon Heat (23-21) and the Golden Eagles (57-16) earlier this year, beaten only by TTT - Toronto Triple Threat (23-13) and the JCC (Jewish Community Centre) Warriors, 30-29.

Rounding out the Sudbury U12 Storm girls' roster are Camilla Bascom, Penny Kingsley, Avery Langemann, Niamh McGill, Sienna Perreault, Ella Zwolak and practice players Penny Roberts and Kaylee Levasseur.

Assistant coach Jeremy Zwolak and team manager Meaghann Langemann also provide helpful support for the squad that returns to action on (Saturday) January 31st, doing battle with both the YNBA Avengers and the JCC Warriors at Markville Secondary School in Unionville.