Skip to content

Local teams enjoy success at provincial basketball

Local teams went three for seven in their bids for high school provincial basketball championships. That also included two silvers, a bronze and a fourth.
Middle Lake Avengers
The Middle Lake Avengers claimed their third consecutive 1A girls provincial championship in Moose Jaw on Mar. 18. L to R Front Row Rayna Olynuk, Alysha Smith, Kethia Gies. Back Row Trevor Otsig (Coach), Morgan Otsig (Manager), Blaire Otsig (Manager), Jo-lee Brockman, Charlene Carroll, Jade Otsig, Kelsey Parsons, Jenna Brockman, Bailey Brockman, Heather Heidecker, Jasmin Bautz, Megan Hauser. photo courtesy of Trevor Otsig

Local teams went three for seven in their bids for high school provincial basketball championships. That also included two silvers, a bronze and a fourth. Each of the Hoopla Provincial Championship tournaments contained four teams with each team guaranteed two games: a semi-final matchup and a gold medal game for semi-final winners and a bronze medal game for semi-final losers.  

Girls 1A

The Middle Lake Avengers captured the 1A girls provincial championship for the third year in a row.

The Avengers opened the provincial championship on Mar. 18 with a game against Asquith. The first half was very low scoring for both teams as Middle Lake took a 23-17 lead into halftime.

Both teams picked up the scoring in the second half as the teams combined for 70 second half points favouring Middle Lake and a 62-48 win.

Rayna Olynuk paced the Avengers with 34 points.

The final came on Mar. 19 when the Avengers tipped off against Fillmore.

The first half was very close as the teams combined for 57 points with Middle Lake taking a narrow 29-28 lead into the half.

The Avengers were able to give themselves some breathing room in the second half as they pull out a 59-51 win and the championship.

Olynuk once again lead the way for the Avengers scoring 22 points.

Girls 2A

Kinistino Blues and Wynyard Bears competed for the 2A girls provincial championship but only one was guaranteed a spot in the finals as the pair drew each other in the semi-finals on Mar. 18.

The first half of the semi-final matchup was very high scoring as the teams combines for 76 points with the Bears running away with the game early as they lead 50-26 at the half.     

Wynyard continued scoring at will in the second half as they blasted the Blues 90-52.

Brooke Johnson scored a game high 15 points for Kinistino, while Tayler Johnson answered with 14 for Wynyard.

Kinistino returned to action Mar. 19 for the bronze medal game against Meath Park.

It was a slow start for the Blues in the first half as they dug themselves an early hole trailing Meath Park 37-20 at halftime.

The second half saw Kinistino come to life as they routed Meath Park in the second half completing the comeback and earning the bronze medal with a 67-62 win with Johnson leading Kinistino scoring again notching a game high 27 points.

The gold medal game pitted Wynyard against Regina Harvest City.

The Bears flew out of the gate in the final and once again scored at will notching 42 points in the first half while limiting Harvest City to 20 en route to a 42-20 halftime lead.

With a 22-point lead and a second consecutive 2A girls provincial championship within their sights, Wynyard came out in the second half and extended their lead, never looking back on their way to a 72-40 win.

Alyssa Shannon was Wynyard’s top scorer in the final pacing the Bears with a game high 19 points.

Girls 3A

The 3A girls provincial championship did not turn out as the Humboldt Mohawks would have liked.

Their first game came on Mar. 18 against eventual provincial champion Lumsden.

The Mohawks found themselves in an early hole and were never able to recover trailing 38-27 at the half.

The second half only got worse for Humboldt as Lumsden came alive and outscored the Mohawks by 19 in the second half for a 76-46 win.

The Mohawks were lead offensively by Angela Baran who chipped in with a game high 30 points.

The Mohawks returned to action Mar. 19 for a date with Indian Head in the bronze medal game.

A slow start hurt the Mohawks who trailed by 17 points at half time, 41-24.

The second half was much better for the Mohawks who began chipping away at the Broncs lead but found themselves behind by too many at halftime as their comeback bid fell short losing 69-60.

Lisa Popoff carried the Mohawks offensively scoring a game high 25 points in a losing effort.

Boys 2A

The St. Brieux Crusaders opened up defense of their 2A provincial title with a game against Regina Harvest City on Mar. 18.

It was a hard fought game throughout for both teams as St. Brieux took a narrow 50-47 lead into halftime.

The second half was more of the same with neither team being able to gain much traction and pull away with the score. In the end it was St. Brieux who emerged victorious 99-93.

Andrew Babb helped carry the Crusaders to victory as he picked up 36 points.

The Crusaders returned to the court Mar. 19 for a chance at their second consecutive provincial championship with Saskatoon Ecole Canadienne standing in their way.    

In another tightly contested affair the Crusaders typically potent offense was held in check by Ecole Canadienne as Canadienne took a slim 39-35 lead into halftime.     

The second half did not go any better for the Crusaders as they managed just 36 points in the second half falling to Ecole Canadienne 77-71. With the loss the Crusaders were forced to settle for the silver medal.

Babb once again lead his team offensively scoring a game high 19 points.

Boys 3A

The Birch Hills Marauders enjoyed an up and down provincial championship tournament en route to capturing the silver medal.

The Marauders’ first game came on Mar. 18 when they tipped off against Indian Head.

The first half was extremely close with Birch Hills taking the slimmest of margins into the second half, leading Indian Head 31-30.

After halftime the Marauders came out and made sure there was no chance they were going to be beaten outscoring Indian Head by 12 second half points en route to an 82-69 win.

Shayne Foster picked up a game high 24 points to help pace the Marauders to victory.

The championship game took place on Mar. 19 when they Marauders tipped off against Saskatoon Legacy Christian.

It was a slow first half for the Marauders who were never able to recover as they trailed Legacy Christian 54-32 at halftime.     

The second half did not get any better for the Marauders who were routed 102-64 and forced to settle for the silver medal.

Jesse Rask lead the Marauders offensively with 18 points in the loss.

Boys 4A

The Melfort Comets successfully defended their boys 4A provincial championship.

Their first game came on Mar. 18 when they tipped off against North Battleford John Paul II.

The first half saw both teams play shutdown defense with neither team able to reach the 40-point mark. When the halftime buzzer rang it was the Comets who held a narrow four point edge, 38-34.

The second half saw the Comets tighten their grips defensively limiting John Paul II to 29 points. Thanks to the lockdown defense the Comets emerged victorious 72-36.

Jomar Malaggay lead the Comets offensively chipping in with 19 points.

The championship game took place Mar. 19 with Melfort locking horns with Weyburn.

After battling through a low scoring affair in the semi-finals the Comets found their scoring touch in the finals scoring 59 first half points to lead 59-35 at the half.

With a comfortable lead and a second consecutive provincial championship within sight, the Comets took their foot off of the gas a little in the second half as they were outscored by nine points but the first half lead was all they needed winning 81-66.

Curtis Glanville was the games highest scorer filling the basket with 27 points for the Comets.