Basketball is definitely alive and well in Valley East. The popularity of the Toronto Raptors has resulted in a boom of sorts in the sport locally. The Valley East Minor Basketball League is flourishing with boys and girls enjoying friendly competition every week at local high schools.

One of the benefits of the development of basketball programs at the elementary school level and in the organized league is that Junior High School Basketball is becoming much stronger as players enter secondary schools with an advanced skill level. This year, the Confederation Secondary School Junior Chargers were proof positive of that development.

The Chargers were coached by Diane Houle, whose volunteered leadership guided the team right to the very last game when they were edged out by the Lively Hawks in a contest to decide who would represent the region in the Northern Ontario Secondary School Association championships.

Even during the final game the Chargers refused to back off, leading 29 to 27 at half time before succumbing to a 48 to 40 loss to Lively.

During the season the Chargers played against Lively, Champlain, Heritage, McDonald Cartier, LoEllen, St. Benedict and Levac.