Heather Wright/The Independent

Coach Adam Willemse finds it hard to put into words what he’s feeling for his team.

“It’s hard to believe so proud isn’t the word,” Willemse said in the wake of the North Lambton Eagles first SWOSSAA title in Senior Girls Basketball which gave the team a berth in the provincial championship tournament.

North Lambton qualified by leading wire-to-wire in beating Lajeunese, 50-25. North Lambton led 14-7 after a quarter and took a 25-10 advantage into the intermission. The Eagles extended the lead to 41-15 after three quarters on their way to the one-sided victory.

Alexis Wice led the winners with 18 points. Abby Rops had 10 points and Ally Rops and Lily Heynsbergen had eight points each.

When the Eagles tip off on Thursday, it will be their first appearance at a provincial girls’ basketball tournament in the 134-year history of the school.

Willemse can’t say enough about the team, adding it’s the best he’s ever coached.

“I find it unbelievable that these girls all came here at the same time together and want to play basketball together, genuinely want to win and play together, and that the commitment to each other has been unbelievable to the point where we can put anybody in and they perform and do their best for the team,” he says.

“It’s a real team atmosphere, which is something that probably is the strongest team I’ve ever coached in the high school here…There’s they’re all leaders.”

That includes Claudia McKinley. She helped get the team to the SWOSSAA finals and then was in a car accident, breaking her hip. Willemse says her accident hit the team hard and they dedicated the SWOSSA championship to her.

Willemse says McKinley will be fine over time and, despite her injuries, hopes to come watch the Eagles take on ESC Sainte-Trinite from Oakville.

Willemse calls her a trooper. “Her strength is unbelievable.”

The Eagles first game is noon Thursday. at Woodland Christian High in Breslau.