Church College Fiji turned a remarkable school campaign into a national title after edging Swami Vivekananda College 31-29 in a high-drama Vodafone Fiji Secondary School Basketball Championship under-15 boys final at the Vodafone Arena in Suva yesterday.
The victory was special for CCF after all its teams reached the semi-finals, but the U15 boys were the only side to progress to the final — and they made the opportunity count.
CCF started strongly and controlled much of the first half before a lapse in concentration allowed SVC to claw their way back.
SVC dominated large periods of the second half, turning the contest into a tense battle that could have gone either way.
CCF captain Nathaniel Levaci said the coaches delivered a simple message at halftime.
“The message from the coaches was straightforward — ‘if not now, when?’ So we gave our hardest in the last 15 minutes,” Levaci said.
He said winning the title meant a lot to the team after their hard work throughout the season.
“It means so much to me and the team because all our hard work has finally paid off,” he said.
Head coach Marij Whippy said the team’s motto throughout the season was to play every match as though it was their last.
“In the last game the team stayed true to that motto,” Whippy said.
She praised SVC, saying the strong opponents pushed CCF to the limit.
“The match could have gone either way. In every sport, one team has to lose, but I have nothing but respect and admiration for our opponents,” Whippy said.
