Local Team Goes 4-1 At Commonwealth Games
The Virginia Bandits’ 17-andunder girls basketball team, based in Glasgow and Natural Bridge, earned the bronze medal and went 4-1 at the Commonwealth Games held July 18-20 at Liberty University in Lynchburg.
The Bandits, coached by Chad Bouchard and Matt Price, are comprised of players from different high schools in Virginia and one from Greenbrier East High School in West Virginia. There are two local players on the team, Abby Bouchard and Rockbridge County High School rising senior guard Natalie Samante. Abby, daughter of Chad, was a junior for the Wildcats last winter, but she’s transferred to Harrisonburg Home School and has two more years of eligibility. During the Commonwealth Games, Abby had to watch from the bench due to an injury.
In the bronze medal game, which took place on July 20, the Bandits defeated Saunders Team Attack 48-46. The Bandits had a slow start and faced a doubledigit deficit midway through the first half, but they battled back and cut the lead to one by halftime. In the second half, the Bandits took an 8-point lead, but Saunders Team Attack wouldn’t go away. Bandits Ellyn Bowles and Savannah Green made some tough three-point plays and pulled down rebounds. Destiny Davis made a layup and free throw with less than 10 seconds left to seal the win.
Bowles led the Bandits with 18 points and had six rebounds, while Green, who was named Most Valuable Player of the game for the Bandits, paced the Bandits with 10 rebounds and added 15 points and an assist. Davis chipped in four points, six rebounds, two steals, two blocks and one assist.
Earlier in the Commonwealth Games, the Bandits started with a 58-13 win over Virginia Hoops Elite. Applying extreme defensive pressure, the Bandits had 18 assists and nine steals.
Maggie Hoover led the Bandits with 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Green added 12 points, four rebounds and two assists. Marayka Knoetze, who was named game MVP for the Bandits, had 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals. Also contributing was Samante with two points, two rebounds and one steal.
In their second game, the Bandits used their defensive pressure and unselfish play to tally 22 assists and 15 steals in a 55-34 win over Saunders Team Attack.
Hoover, who was named game MVP for the Bandits, led the Bandits with 13 points and six rebounds and had two steals and one block. Melanie Price added 11 points, two assists, two steals and one rebounds, while Knoetze had nine points, two boards, two assists, a steal and a block. Samante chipped in four points, two steals and one rebound.
Despite offensive struggles, the Bandits played tough defense again to defeat Richmond-based JRD 44-22 in their third game. The Bandits compiled 11 assists and 12 steals.
Knoetze led the Bandits with 10 points and had two rebounds, two steals and one assist. Samante added eight points and four rebounds, and Alana Fisher, who was named game MVP for the Bandits, had eight points, four boards, two assists and two steals. Hoover contributed six points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.
The Bandits’ only loss of the Commonwealth Games was in the semifinals, with a 51-25 loss to the Blaze, which went on to win the gold medal.
With Hoover out, the Bandits struggled to grab rebounds and shot poorly, while the Blaze, coached by Stuarts Draft head coach Chad Seibert, shot well the whole game.
Sandy Banton, named game MVP for the Bandits, scored nine points and also led the Bandits with five rebounds and two blocks while dishing out one assist. Fisher added five points, three rebounds and two assists, and Knoetze chipped in five points, three boards and two steals.
For the season, the Bandits went 23-11, with two championships and three runner-up finishes.
Reviewing the season, Coach Bouchard said, “This was such a fun team to coach. They played with such intensity on the defensive end and shared the ball on the offensive end. They all have bright futures ahead of them, and I look forward to continuing to watch them grow.”
