A Rama First Nations basketball player shone for Team Ontario at the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax last month.
Takoda Plett, 14, hit the chill-inducing, game-winning shot in a thrilling semi-final contest, as he helped his team rally from a huge deficit to an improbable victory. (See video below)
For a kid who started playing basketball when he was just seven years old, it was the most memorable game of his young career.
Plett credits his dad, Galen, his long-time coach, for helping him become the player he is today.
“It was my dad that got me into playing,” he explained. “I love that it’s fast-paced and you are always moving.”
Through playing at Regent Park Public School and with the Orillia Lakers youth basketball club over the years, Plett earned the chance to try out for Team Ontario’s U14 basketball team.
“It was really cool because I got to stay in a dorm with everybody on the team,” he explained. “I didn’t know any of the other players before tryouts, but I’m good friends with them now.”
Despite only having one practice under their belt before taking the floor for the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax, Plett says his team found chemistry almost right away.
“Just by hanging out a little bit, we seemed to get on the same page quickly,” he said.
Plett, who played point guard and centre during the games, helped team Ontario make the semi-finals where they played in a thriller that few players or fans are likely to forget.
“We were down 20 at one point and 17 in the fourth quarter,” Plett explained. “With eight seconds left, we were down six still.”
Team Ontario was able to rally quickly to tie the score and send it into overtime. In the extra frame, down by two with two seconds left, Plett hit a three-point shot to win the game and send his team to the gold medal round.
“It was crazy,” Plett said. “It was so cool.”
Plett remembers fans running onto the floor when his shot met the mesh as it sent everybody into a frenzy of emotions.
“It was an awesome moment.”
Team Ontario moved on to play Wisconsin in the gold medal game, but came up short losing 62-55. Plett had a stellar performance in the loss, playing all 32 minutes and finishing with 13 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, one steal, and 0 turnovers.
“We came pretty close,” he said. “They just kind of pulled away at the end.”
Playing at the North American Indigenous Games is an experience Plett vows to never forget. He says he hopes to make the U19 team next year.
“It made me a better basketball player,” he said.
Next, Plett will be trying to make the Twin Lakes Secondary School junior boys’ basketball team when he starts his secondary school career in the fall. After that, his goal is to one day play for the University of Connecticut.
“I’ve not been to Connecticut before,” he explained. “But I like watching them play.”
Plett will also compete later this month at a Rising Stars Basketball Camp for the top 100 players in Ontario from his age group.
