Not a lot of people knew who Delaney Gibb was before the Biosteel All Canadian Game, Sunday at the University of Toronto.
They certainly did at the end of it.
The 16-year-old Raymond, Alberta, resident had a game high 18 points, five rebounds and two blocks and was named co-MVP, as Team Red narrowly defeated Team White 99-98, at the Goldring Centre.
“It’s great honestly,” said Gibb, of the award won in a game featuring the best high school-aged players from around the country. “I’m from a small town in Alberta, no one really knew who I was. So to come out here and be able to prove myself, and compete with some of the best girls in all of Canada, it was amazing.
“I had great teammates. We had lots of fun and we competed well.”
Co-MVP Toby Fournier, also 16, was dominant for Team White, with 15 points, 14 boards, three steals, and three blocks. Gibb and Fournier were among the youngest players in the showcase, and were only two of four players from the class of 2024.
Team Red also had an excellent showing from the 2022 Biosteel All Canadian Player of the Year, Cassandre Prosper, of Quebec, who finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals.
Sylvia Sword contrbuted 15 points, four assists and four steals for Team White, as well as Emma Koabel and Milana Nenadic, who had 14 points apiece.
Their team mounted a furious comeback in the final two minutes of the fourth, cutting an 11 point lead to one. Dominique Ennis (King country, Ontario) had a chance to win the game for Team White, but missed a potential game-winning three-point shot as time expired.
Team White coach Christa Eniojukan said the chance to play in a big-time atmosphere on national television was a special moment for her players.
“It’s an important opportunity to grow the game for the younger generation, so they can see and have role models,” said the York University head coach. “The long term goal here is to eventually get a WNBA team but we have to start with things like this first.”
There are 13 of the 24 girls who played in the game who have already made commitments to NCAA Colleges for next season.
Co-MVPs Gibb and Fournier will both compete on the Kia Nurse Elite U17 team this summer, which will play against the top teams in the AAU circuit.