A preview of Monday’s Battle of St. Albert in high school women’s basketball was staged Friday at the 35th annual REB Invitational.
The score between the Paul Kane Blues and St. Albert Skyhawks at Jasper Place High School was unavailable at press time.
The last time the Blues beat the Skyhawks was 2011 in the metro Edmonton premier (now division one) semifinals, 75-66 at the SkyDome.
Both teams lost their tournament openers Thursday. The Blues fell 73-44 to Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Clippers and the Skyhawks dropped a 65-61 decision to the Western Canada Redhawks of Calgary.
The Blues and Skyhawks were short a few players, plus head coach John Dedrick of the Skyhawks is sidelined with a knee injury.
After the losses, the team’s overall records in exhibition, league and tournaments were 4-2 for the Blues and 5-6 for the Skyhawks.
Depending on Friday’s results, the Blues and Skyhawks will play the St. Francis Browns of Calgary or the Handsworth Royals of North Vancouver at noon or in the 2 p.m. consolation final.
It will be standing room only Monday, when the Paul Kane Blues host the St. Albert Skyhawks in metro Edmonton women’s basketball.
Tipoff is 5 p.m. between the division one teams.
Seating is limited in the compact Paul Kane gym so fans are encouraged to arrive early for a prime courtside viewing spot.
The Blues and Skyhawks are 1-1 in league play after going down to defeat Wednesday on the road.
A lack of rebounding and defence against the red-hot shooting O’Leary Spartans (1-1) resulted in the Blues losing 66-64 to the same team they beat 63-38 in the Dec. 1 tournament opener at the 19th annual Mike Dea Classic.
The Skyhawks suffered a 58-52 setback to the Archbishop MacDonald Marauders (2-1) in their first game back from last weekend’s tournament in Victoria.
The St. Albert Skyhawks won two and lost two against B.C. competition in Victoria.
The first two games were three-points losses to the Heritage Woods Kodiaks, a top-15 ranked AAA team based in Port Moody, and the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs of Vancouver.
High scorers against the Kodiaks were Sarah Dedrick and Marina Cain with 12 points apiece and 10 for Abby Morrison.
Cain wired six three-balls for 20 points, Dedrick added nine and Lauren Cardinal had eight against the small and quick Bulldogs.
The Skyhawks closed out the tournament with wins of 88-54 against the St. Michael’s University School Blue Jags of Victoria and 71-22 against the Talons of Victoria.
With injuries to starters’ Kenzie Thera (ACL) and Cardinal (foot), the Grade 10 players on the Skyhawks stepped up to fill the void in both games.
Morrison’s 24 points and Cain’s 23, including seven three-balls, led the way against the Blue Jags.
The top scorers against the Talons were Payton McNeill with 16 points and Morrison and Brooke Froment with 12 apiece.
Before the tournament, the Skyhawks played an exhibition against the Oak Bay Bays of Victoria and lost 68-40. The Bays were second in the B.C. AAA rankings and in the tournament final they defeated Brookswood Bobcats of Langley by five points.
Rob Poole, the former head coach of the MacEwan University Griffins, was on the Skyhawks’ bench in four of the team’s five games.
The Skyhawks also toured and trained at Shawnigan Lake School while visiting former teammate, Alexi Pusch, who is attending Shawnigan on a rugby scholarship, and practiced at the home of the Blue Jags before the tournament.
The second game in Monday’s doubleheader at Paul Kane tips off at 6:30 p.m. between the Blues and Skyhawks in metro Edmonton division two pool B men’s action.
Both teams won their pool B lid-lifters by scores of 72-53 for the Blues over the Sturgeon Spirits at Paul Kane and 72-65 for the Skyhawks over the Salisbury Sabres at the SkyDome.
Joseph Marsiglio tossed in 19 points for the Skyhawks, followed by Kyle Lepan’s 13 and 10 for Tylar Dobish.
Last weekend the Skyhawks finished 1-2 at the Strathcona Christian Academy tournament. They lost 66-63 to the St. Joseph Celtics of Grande Prairie, beat the Ardrossan Bisons 87-53 and lost 73-58 to the Edmonton Christian Lions.
The Blues finished third in the same tournament after their 73-51 win against the host Eagles.
The top player for the Blues was Jack MacPherson.
Last season the Blues finished 2-11 in division one and the Skyhawks’ division two pool B record was 4-5.
