The St. Albert Skyhawks are 9-1 in league play and 21-6 overall in high school women’s basketball, when they play the host Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds today at 5 p.m.
Skyhawks, ranked fourth in 4A, share second place in the metro Edmonton division one standings with the Spruce Grove Panthers, the two-time defending champions who are ranked eighth in 4A.
The Skyhawks are coming off a third-place finish at the Titans Tri-Prov at Harry Ainlay High School. They downed the Duchess Park Condors of Prince George, B.C. 77-71 and lost 70-68 to the Oak Park Raiders of Winnipeg in the semifinals. Oak Park, ranked third in 4A in Manitoba, went on to win the tournament.
Jamie Bain (player of the game) and Lauren Cardinal of the Skyhawks sparked the offence against Duchess Park.
Down by 10 at halftime against Oak Park, the Skyhawks switched defences and face-guarded Deidre Bartlett, who racked up 19 points in the first half but was held to only five for the rest of the game.
The Skyhawks trailed by three after three quarters, then tied it up with about five minutes to go, followed by back and forth action that saw the teams exchange three-pointers. With eights seconds to go, and Oak Park up by two, the Skyhawks advanced the ball to front court with a timeout. Head coach John Dedrick drew up a play for the win, a three-point attempt for Aphia Ward. The tournament all-star was unable to get a shot off and Bain got the ball and was fouled driving to the hoop with 0.8 seconds remaining. Bain missed the first free throw, so had to miss the second one for a catch and shoot and was unlucky on the play.
Ward (player of the game) led all scorers with 26 points, Bain netted 14 and Cardinal added 11. Sam Dargis also fouled out after putting in six points. It marked the third game in three days the Skyhawks played with only seven players because of sickness/injury.
The third-place game was the 94-46 blowout of the host Titans. Eight Skyhawks recorded points, led by Ward’s 26, Cardinal’s 16, Bain’s 15 and nine by Abby Morrison (player of the game).
This weekend the Skyhawks are competing at the Panther Classic in Spruce Grove. Friday’s tip-off is 5:30 p.m. against the Raymond Comets. Saturday the Skyhawks play the No. 2-ranked 4A Western Canada Redhawks of Calgary or the Bev Facey Falcons at 9:45 a.m. in the consolation bracket or 1:15 p.m. in the semifinals. The third-place game is 6:30 p.m. and the final is 8:15 p.m.
The Paul Kane Blues host the Jasper Place Rebels in today’s metro Edmonton division one doubleheader.
The men play at 5 p.m. and the women hoop it up at 6:30 p.m.
Paul Kane is 2-9 and Jasper Place is 7-3 in the men’s division and the Blues are 8-2 and the Rebels are 10-0 in the women’s division.
The 4A women’s rankings list the Rebels third and the Blues 10th.
The Blues are 18-11 overall after going 1-2 at the Titans Tri-Prov last weekend.
The Blues lost their first game Thursday, 69-63 to the Oak Park Raiders. It was tied at halftime and close until the fourth quarter. It was a quick turnaround for the youthful Blues after an emotional 60-55 loss to the St. Albert Skyhawks to kick off the week and Wednesday they defeated the Edmonton Christian Lions 65-62 in a tough tilt.
Anika Steele tacked up 11 points against Oak Bay, Allison Hunder and Alesha Stanley added nine apiece and Bronwen Barter and Brit Mildenberger each had eight.
The next game the Blues lost to 91-63 to the Duchess Park Condors. Stanley paced the attack with 19 points and Steele chipped in with 12.
The Blues ended the tournament by beating the Bethlehem Stars of Saskatoon 93-49. Ashley Thomas was the top scorer with 20 points and Stanley drained 18.
The St. Albert Skyhawks resume league play this week after the men’s basketball team finished fourth at its home tournament last weekend.
The Skyhawks (3-4) visited the Queen Elizabeth Knights (6-2) in metro Edmonton division two pool B action Tuesday, but the score was unavailable at press time.
The Skyhawks host the Edmonton Christian Lions (1-6) Thursday at 5 p.m. in the last game before the pool A and B crossover playoffs tip-off Tuesday.
The Skyhawks, ranked sixth in 3A, are 10-9 overall after going 1-2 at their eight-team tournament. They won the opener, 71-67 against West Central of Rocky Mountain House, then lost 86-74 to the No. 1-ranked 3A Strathcona Christian Academy Eagles in the semifinals and 81-58 to the No. 8-ranked 3A St. Peter the Apostle Spartans (3-4 in pool B) in the third-place game.
Andrija Zubac, a Grade 12 guard, was the team’s top scorer against the Eagles with 24 points
The Eagles (4-7 in division one) defeated the Spruce Grove Panthers (5-1 in pool B), the defending division two champions, in the final.
The undefeated St. Albert SLAM midget A girls march into the Edmonton Youth Basketball Association playoffs 18-0 in league play and 3-0 in tournament action.
The playoffs tip-off Wednesday for last year’s 20-0 EYBA and youth provincial championship team.
Six SLAM girls are shooting for their third provincial championship and third undefeated campaign as graduates of the 2014 SLAM bantam A provincial winners. So far, the overall record over three seasons is 59-0.
Youth provincials are March 11 to 13 at the Saville Community Sports Centre.
