Sudbury girls compete at international basketball tournament in Hawaii

Morning North7:07Basketball in Hawaii

A group of teenage girls from Sudbury are in Hawaii this week. They're competing in the World Youth Basketball Tournament. Rick Filion is head coach of the U14 team. His twin daughters are on the team. The CBC's Olivia Stefanovich has more.

It isn't your typical vacation, But a Sudbury family is hoping a trip to Hawaii will make them world basketball champions.

Rick Filion, the coach of Sudbury's U14 basketball team says a trip to compete in the World Youth Basketball Tournamentwill be made extra special by the fact that his 14-year-old twins are competing.

"When they first started [playing], they were shy," he said.

"They were timid coming into a gym. And now, they're playing with girls two- and three-years older than they are."

Josee and Mia Filion both play shooting guard on their dad's team.

Josee said they've never come this far in a competition before.

"It feels really good since we're from such a small town and we're going to an international tournament," she said.

The team practices two to three times a week.

Mia, also known as "Momentum Mia," said she doesn't want to lose when they see the sand, surf and sea for the first time.

"We're hoping to get the international title and compete at our highest levels," she said.

Another team of 15- and 16-year-old girls from Sudbury are also competing in Hawaii, and are hoping to emulate the recent Canadian women's gold medal win at the Pan Am Games.

Filion said he is very proud of the girls.

"They came a long way this year, in terms of their own personal skill development," he said.

"So we really focused on developing that individual skill, but we also really pushed the team concept."

The players had to pay their own way to Hawaii. But he said the cost is worth it because the tournament is a post-secondary scouting ground for basketball players.