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Bouchard Wins Bronze In Commonwealth Games
This summer was a busy time for the Virginia Bandits’ 16-and-under girls basketball team. The organization is based out of Glasgow and Natural Bridge, but has players from a wide range of schools, including Rockbridge County High School.
Last month, the Bandits traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, to play in the Run 4 Roses Classic, one of the biggest girls tournaments in the country, featuring more than 1,500 teams from nine different countries. From July 11-13, there were games on more than 100 courts, with representatives of the biggest college programs in the country watching.
“We came in ready and competed,” said Virginia Bandits coach and coordinator Chad Bouchard. “We amped up our training for about two months to prepare physically and mentally.”
The Bandits played four games in the tournament, going 1-3, but they led or were tied in the second half of every game they played.
The first game was against a team from southwest Virginia. Rockbridge County High School rising junior Abby Bouchard put the Bandits up early, hitting two 3-pointers. However, the Bandits ended up losing 6653, with their opponent hitting 13 3-pointers.
In the second game, the Bandits faced the Cincy Swish Elite. The Bandits led by eight points midway through the second half, but an injury derailed the momentum, and they ended up losing 48-42.
The third game was against PHS Elite from Florida, which jumped on the Bandits early and was up 18 points at one point, but the Bandits clawed back and lost a heartbreaker 44-41.
In the fourth game, the Bandits finished up against a familiar foe from the last few years, Team Xtreme from Christiansburg. The Bandits came out focused and determined and closed out their tournament by winning 53-32.
Kailyn Jones, formerly of Craig County High School, averaged a double-double at the tournament, scoring 15.5 points per game and collecting 11.5 rebounds per game. Anna Faith Brunk of Blue Ridge Christian School was having a great tournament and turning heads before her injury in the second game caused her to miss the rest of the tournament.
Proud of his team, Chad Bouchard said, “We have a very deep roster, and everyone plays together and unselfishly. That is why every one of our players has been contacted by multiple college coaches.”
Abby Bouchard had a strong all-around performance in the tournament, averaging 5.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. Another RC player, rising senior Emma Clark, was playing at the tournament and had a very good showing with her Afton Fog Team.
Following the Louisville tournament, Abby Bouchard played in the Virginia Commonwealth Games at Liberty University from July 19-21 with the Lynchburgbased Liberty Premier and won a bronze medal, giving her three Commonwealth Games medals in the last four years: silver in 2021, gold in 2022 and bronze this year. She had no trouble fitting in with the girls, as she had played with many of them before, and she had another solid all-around performance.
