Ryleigh Bissenden’s final national championship as a player for the BC Wheelchair Basketball (BCWB) team ended on a high note.
Over the weekend, her BCWB team made its fourth appearance in as many years in the Women’s National Championship’s bronze medal game and managed to finally come out on top.
“It was a really proud moment for us. After four years of fighting for the bronze, we were finally able to do it,” said Bissenden.
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This year, the team went up against Saskatchewan in the close final game. With 17 nerve-wracking seconds left on the clock, the B.C. team, up by one, was able to hold their opponents off long enough to secure the 69-70 win.
“That was definitely a nail-biter for sure,” said Bissenden. “It was the other team’s possession so we had to play really tough defense.”
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This will be Bissenden’s last championship as a junior. Six years ago, she took on the sport and started playing for BCWB two years later. This was her second medal, the first being the silver she won in the 2016 BC Games in Penticton.
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With national junior competitions behind her, the 21-year-old said she is trying to decide on the next chapter. But one thing is for certain: she will continue playing for the Breakers, a B.C. women’s team.
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