Oct 23 and 24, 2026
Players of the Game
Finding Our Rhythm.
Four weekends in, and the Academy is starting to click. Here are this weekend's Players of the Game, boys and girls, and the habits behind them.
Week 4, and we're starting to find our rhythm, with some great performances at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Teams are sharing the ball, players are talking on defence, and two teams came back from slow starts to win.
Look at this weekend's Players of the Game and a pattern shows up. A few made big shots. More made the plays that never make a highlight: grabbing the ball off the rim, pressuring the ball handler, sprinting the lane on every break. Those are Winning Habits, and they're starting to decide games.
The comeback
Down early.
Calm late.
Woody W. · Lakers · Junior · Coach Amir
The Lakers started slow and fell behind early. That's when a lot of players start forcing things. Woody stayed composed.
He kept his head while the Lakers worked their way back, then knocked down the threes that swung the game when his team needed them most. A steady head first, big shots second, and a win at the end of it.
That's the player every coach wants on their team.
Players of the Game
Richmond Olympic Oval
01Nicholas M.
His second Player of the Game this fall, and he did it at the rim. Nick kept finding ways in with crafty finishes, got himself to the free-throw line, then crashed the offensive glass to give his teammates another look.
02Sam C.
If the ball was on the floor, Sam was diving for it. On defence he kept the ball handler turned and under pressure, and when his team needed a bucket he went and got one.
Sam was the definition of hustle today.Coach Hamza
03Charlie L.
Box out, grab it, go. Charlie sealed his check on the defensive glass, then sprinted the lane on the break and turned stops into easy baskets for himself and his teammates.
04Jaylen B.
Jaylen put his head down and went to the rim, again and again, finishing around the basket and earning trips to the line. He forced turnovers at the other end too, and the Red Birds followed his lead.
05Arta N.
Arta's points came from his teammates, and he made the most of every pass. Add steady defensive pressure and you get a Jayhawks win built on sharing the ball.
06Harley S.
Harley attacked the key early. When the defence sagged to stop him, he stepped out and warmed up the jump shot. At the other end he stuck with a tough matchup and kept talking his teammates into position.
07Theo R.
Theo did his work at both ends. He scored, he defended, and with the ball in his hands he kept making the right pass to set up good shots for his teammates.
08Easton L.
Every missed shot was a second chance for Easton. He kept going back to the offensive glass, and those second-chance points carried his team to the win.
Did we miss a Player of the Game? Let your coach know and we'll add them.
The Girls' Side
Oct 24
The girls' league had its own comeback this weekend, and a ball hawk who kept the other team guessing.
Nico K.
The Aces were slow out of the gate. Seven or eight minutes in, the girls figured out they could turn it around, and they fought all the way back. Nico led the charge on the glass at both ends, finished around the rim and turned those boards into points. When it was over, the whole team celebrated together.
Tiffany M.
Tiffany was a ball hawk. Her steals and look-ahead passes started fast break after fast break, and she was always there with help on defence. She brought the energy the Dream needed and willed them to the win.
This fall so far
Building something
The Dream have had a Player of the Game in three different games this fall: Valerie S., Alexis D. and now Tiffany M. And the Aces showed what they're made of early, playing one game with just four players and giving it everything from start to finish.
Habit Watch
The habits are showing up.
Every SSB player learns the 12 Winning Habits. This weekend, three of them showed up right in the coaches' Player of the Game picks.
Turn the Ball
Pressure the ball handler so they can't face the basket or pass easily.
Spotted: Sam C., all game long.
Box Out
On every shot, find your check, make contact and keep them off the glass.
Spotted: Charlie L. on the defensive glass.
Run Wide
After the rebound, sprint the wide lanes and fill the corners.
Spotted: Charlie L., running the lanes for easy buckets.
is Lava
In practice this fall: after starting the season on Dribble with a Purpose, coaches brought in Floor is Lava. Everything inside the three-point line is lava, so once you finish your cut or drive, you get back outside. More space on the floor means easier drives for everyone.
From the Sidelines
Fall Academy game day (Oct 2) and Community Day (Oct 12). Player of the Game photos by Academy coaches.
Next issue
See you at the Oval.
Week 5 is next. Keep building the habits, and we'll be back with another Academy Weekly after the games.