Super Skyhawks
The third tournament title in four weekend competitions this season for the St. Albert Skyhawks was the St. Mary's Senior Classic last weekend in Calgary.
The defending 4A provincial champions toppled the host Saints 80-74 in Saturday's physical final.
The Skyhawks struggled hitting shots from the outside until the last three minutes of the game.
Mimi Sigue was a rebounding machine at both ends of the floor while scoring a team-high 21 points.
Annacy Palmer, the tournament MVP, tacked up 13 points while Teå DeMong and Dakota Wedman put in 12 apiece.
The semifinal was the 91-66 statement win against the Western Canada Redhawks, ranked No. 1 provincially in 4A.
The only loss this season for the Skyhawks was 76-68 to Western in the Dec. 13 semifinal of the REB Invitational at Jasper Place.
The No. 2-ranked Skyhawks posted period leads of 24-12, 46-21 and 76-45.
Palmer led the way with 20 points, Maya Flindall added 17, DeMong scored 16 and Sigue and Morgan Harris chipped in with 11 apiece.
The first game for the Skyhawks was 87-52 against the No. 4-ranked 4A Raymond Comets as DeMong ripped it up for 32 points, including four three-pointers.
Kamryn DeKlerk, a standout Grade 12 guard, suffered an ankle injury early in the game and didn’t play for the rest of the tournament.
The Skyhawks are 6-0 in the metro Edmonton division one league and 17-1 overall after Monday’s 115-45 thrashing of the host Leduc Tigers (2-5).
Tonight the Skyhawks play the St. Peter the Apostle Spartans (1-5) at 6:30 p.m. in Spruce Grove.
The next tournament is Father Troy at St. Joseph High School and the first game is 5 p.m. Thursday against the Archbishop Jordan Scots.
The winner plays the St. Francis Xavier Rams or St. Francis of Calgary in Friday’s 4 p.m. semifinal.
Saturday’s final is 6 p.m.
The men’s team at St. Albert High is also competing at the Father Troy tournament.
Lady Wolves
The second loss in as many tournaments for the Lady Wolves against the St. Peter the Apostle Spartans was Saturday’s final in Morinville.
The Spartans defeated the tournament hosts 64-51 as the metro Edmonton division one team shot the lights out in the fourth quarter to pull away after the Wolves closed the gap to two points with six minutes to play.
The Spartans nailed four three-points in the quarter to seal the deal.
Abby Davey, Hayley Deveau and Jordan Hessell scored 11 points apiece and Makayla Attfield tossed in 10.
The first meeting of the season between the 3A provincial contenders was 50-42 for the Spartans in last month’s semifinal at the St. Peter the Apostle tournament.
The Spartans are 1-5 in division one and the Wolves are 10-5 overall after last weekend’s results.
In the 3A provincial rankings, the Spartans are third and the Wolves are fifth as the lone North Central zone team to be listed.
The semifinal was 53-36 for the Wolves against the Beaumont Bandits, a 2-5 division two team.
A late surge stretched a six-point lead into the 16-point victory.
Hessell flexed her muscles to secure 24 rebounds while draining 16 points.
The tournament opener was 66-34 against the John Maland Wildcats of Devon.
Tenacious defence by Nadi Cater and Leanne Van Brabant contributed to the victory.
The North Central zone champions the last two years have the weekend off and the next tournament for the 2019 3A provincial consolation champions is the following weekend in Beaumont.
Morinville men
Losing to the No. 2-ranked 3A men’s team in the province by two points was a moral victory for the Morinville Wolves.
Saturday’s tournament final was 70-68 for the host St. Peter the Apostle Spartans against the No. 9-ranked 3A Wolves as the only North Central zone team in the top 10.
The Spartans are 3-2 in the metro Edmonton division one league and the Wolves are 8-4 overall after the weekend tournament in Spruce Grove.
Tournament all-star Matt Osunde of the Wolves led the way in the final with 19 points, six assists and eight rebounds.
Jared Vokurka produced 19 points and nine rebounds and Jacob Christensen contributed 16 points and 16 rebounds.
The semifinal was 89-57 against the Spruce Grove Panthers, a 5-1 division two team.
Osunde piled up 43 points and Russ Foisy tacked up 17 points.
The first game was 93-47 against the H.J. Cody Lakers of Sylvan Lake.
Osunde was the offensive catalyst with 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. Christensen added 22 points and 12 rebounds and Vokurka had 18 points and 12 rebounds.
The next tournament is the Blue Devil Classic this weekend at Eastglen.
The home tournament for the Wolves is next weekend.
Sturgeon wins
The host team for the 3A provincial women’s basketball championship three-peated at the Ardrossan tournament.
The Sturgeon Spirits overcame a three-point deficit at halftime to defeat the fast-paced J. Percy Page Panthers 60-56 in Saturday’s final.
Both teams are 3-4 in the metro Edmonton division two league.
The tournament opener was 49-42 against Rimbey as Sturgeon struggled with a short-staffed lineup and several players were in foul trouble.
The semifinal was 56-54 against St. Paul as Maddie Campbell hit the go-ahead basket that ended up sealing the win.
Players of the game for Sturgeon were Bella Lutgen against Rimbey, Kate Eppinga against St. Paul and Taylor McGrath against the Panthers.
The Spirits are 11-11 overall after Monday’s 51-50 loss to the Lillian Osborne Legends (4-3) in Edmonton.
Tonight at 6:30 p.m. Sturgeon hosts the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds (3-3).
Provincials are March 19 to 21 and in the 3A rankings Sturgeon is No. 10.
Great Gators
The Lorne Akins Gators are racking up the wins in junior high boys’ basketball.
The 6-0 team in the St. Albert Physical Education Council league finished 3-0 at Tri-Prov tournament last weekend at Harry Ainlay.
Saturday’s final was 73-65 against the Michael Strembitsky Sharks.
Austin Walter cranked out 31 points and reeled in 10 rebounds, Seni Adekunle wired 23 points and grabbed 18 rebounds and David Luu chipped in with nine points and five rebounds.
The Gators also rolled past D.S. Mackenzie 57-44 and Ellerslie 82-58.
Wednesday in league play the Gators host the ESSMY Leopards at 5:30 p.m.
