One of just three returning members of Team Ontario, the 17-year-old cager anchored a successful title defence last week in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

The now two-time champions' unbeaten run was punctuated with a convincing 77-44 gold-medal triumph over Alberta -- whom they toppled in last year's final as well -- Saturday evening.

"It felt great to win again," the six-foot-four-inch Miltonian told the Champion Sunday morning, having just arrived home. "Being my last year at this level, I really wanted the gold. Losing was not an option."

The westerners held their own on the boards in the championship, but just couldn't counter Ontario's one-two punch of Alexander and Natalie Achonwa of Guelph, who had 20 points apiece. That was just slightly higher than the local player's average for the week, which began with a tournament-high 24-point effort in an 80-48 rout of Quebec.

Ontario would follow that up with cakewalks over P.E.I. (97-24) and Newfoundland (106-35) before their only real test of the nationals -- a 68-57 semifinal win over B.C. Friday that required a fierce finish to pull out.

Priding herself on coming through in big games, Alexander amassed 18 points and a dozen rebounds -- six at either end -- during her team-high 29.22 minutes of play.

"That's always the plan, to play my best at the end," said the towering centre, who late last month led Canada to a 4-1 showing at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championships in Argentina -- which equaled a berth to next summer's Under-19 Worlds in Thailand.

While finishing just three points behind Achonwa for the tournament points lead -- with a total of 88 -- the now three-time national champ (first at Under-15) seemed every bit as pleased with her showing at the opposite end of the floor.

"I played much better defence this year. Without a doubt I'm more satisfied with this year's performance. I was more of a presence both ways and really did my part to earn the gold. I really wanted to have a big impact, and put my heart into it."