The scheduling could not have been worse for the GSBA (Greater Sudbury Basketball Association) U17 Storm to open OBL (Ontario Basketball League) play earlier this year.

With no less than seven players away competing at OFSAA (Espanola Spartans - OFSAA "A" - Judah Brohart; Carter McLennan; Lo-Ellen Park Knights - OFSAA "AA" - Noah Skrobot, Adrian Aho, Yug Patel; Lasalle Lancers - OFSAA "AAA" - Lunden Campbell Runia; Deran Cooper), the Storm were left but a group of five to hold the fort.

Despite being woefully understaffed, the quintet of Holden Beange, Kaiden McFarland, Hudson Duhaime, Monjed Hussam Eddin and Noah Wilson still managed to earn a split, besting Jump Basketball West (Brampton/Mississauga) but falling to PDM Basketball Elite (GTA).

With all hands on deck for weekend #2 recently, the difference was clearly evident, the Sudbury lads sweeping a pair of games relatively convincingly.

The Storm dumped the Oxford Attack (Woodstock) 87-61 as Carter McLennan set the tone defensively, all while contributing 13 points on the attack. Leading the charge offensively were Deran Cooper and Noah Skrobot with 19 and 16 points respectively.

In a repeat performance, the northern squad stopped the Golden Eagles (Mississauga) 83-57 with Lunden Campbell Runia stepping up in a big way, netting 24 points and adding eight rebounds.

Hudson Duhaime went 3/9 from three-point land as part of a 17 point effort, with Noah Skrobot right on his tail with 16 points and six assists.

The locals are back in Toronto this weekend, closing out the first half of their OBL season and hoping to move up at the time of OBL re-ranking next week.