Ethel Walker School
As many parts of campus emptied for winter break, the Centennial Center filled with basketball teams from peer schools traveling to Simsbury to play in the annual Walker’s Holiday Basketball Tournament. On Friday, December 16 and Saturday, December 17, Walker’s Varsity Basketball team was joined by seven other schools to compete in the event, which is in year six. Greens Farms, Hotchkiss, Miss Porter’s, Cheshire Academy, Westminster, Canterbury, and Millbrook were fellow participants in this year’s tournament.
“After being altered by COVID for the past two years, it was great to have seven schools back on campus,” said Interim Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach John Monagan. “There is a great feeling in the air as the teams get together to have fun and play basketball before going their separate ways for winter break.”
Each team played one game on Friday afternoon and two games on Saturday. The adjacent basketball courts in the Centennial Center allowed the tournament to be run in an organized and timely fashion. Having games occur side by side increased the energy level in the gym, adding to the atmosphere surrounding the tournament.
Hotchkiss, a participant in the event since its start in 2016, won the tournament this year for the first time. They secured victories over Walker’s, Cheshire Academy, and Greens Farms to earn the trophy.
Walker’s lost to Hotchkiss in the first round before beating Westminster and Miss Porter’s on Saturday.
