PECI Girls finish third at World Youth Holiday Invitational in Hawaii

UPDATE Dec 22:

In their 40th game of the season, the PECI girls lost 50-29 to a tough team from San Domenico, California. The girls finished the tournament in Hawaii in third place with a record of two wins and three losses.

Coach Garden sends a big thanks to all the players, parents, families and sponsors for a great season.

UPDATE Dec 21:

Coach Rob Garden reports a win and a loss in tournament play today.

“The first game was against the Colts from James Logan High School from the Bay Area in Northern California. James Logan has more than 4,000 students at their high school and they were the best team we have played all year. We lost 76-20. We bounced back in the second game defeating the Lady Warriors from North Dakota 44-38.”

The girls play their final game of the tournament tomorrow afternoon vs. San Domenico from Southern California.
PECI Senior Girls team with the James Logan team

Lydia Snider and Mackenzie Leavitt enjoy some ice cream after a big win!

PECI’s senior girls basketball team debuted in Hawaii with a win and a loss on the first day of action at the World Youth Basketball Holiday Invitational Tournament.

The tournament, hosted by Kealakehe High School in Kona, features international competition welcoming teams from Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Samoa, Guam, Canada, South Africa, Dubai, Kuwait, Germany, Israel, Russia, England, USA and Hawaii.

The girls lost their first game against Alaska 34-22, then were victorious against Hawaii 38-22. They are shown here with the host team from Kona.

“We are having a great time in Hawaii,” Coach Rob Garden writes in. “After a very long journey to get here that included flight delays, cancellations, one night spent at LAX and some turbulent flights, the PECI SR Girls basketball team made it to Kona and is enjoying every minute.”

Their first day included a tour around the island. The first stop was at Kona Coffee, and the girls got to witness how coffee is farmed and produced. They got to try the different blends – some like it some didn’t.

Lydia Snider, above, doesn’t enjoy her coffee tasting experience as teammate Hannah Smith has a good laugh.

From there the team headed to the Black Sand Beach at Panulu’u Beach. The girls explored the beach and saw a beautiful sea turtle on shore. The finished by taking a seaside walk on lava rocks and took some time for a team photo.

They then travelled to Mount Kilauea. The volcano has been active for the past six weeks and Garden notes it was an incredible site to see. The weather was rainy but the girls didn’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

On the way back to the hotel, they stopped at a Lava Tube and Akaka Falls.

Their first games are against a team from Alaska, and a team from Maui. Following is participation in the opening ceremonies.

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