The St. Albert Skyhawks were the big winners as the host team at the annual Gologo Invitation high school junior tournament.
The lady Skyhawks swept the four-team round robin by scores of 66-16 against the Salisbury Sabres, 51-31 against the Edmonton Christian Lions and 61-23 against the St. Francis Xavier Rams.
Jada Unger and Nicole Harrison were the Skyhawks’ top scorers.
Mackenzie Sharon (12 points vs. Salisbury), Unger (seven points vs. the Lions) and Paige Gratton (nine points vs. SFX) also received player of the game honours.
In the junior men’s division the Skyhawks finished fourth at 1-2 in the eight-team draw.
The Skyhawks defeated the Strathcona Christian Academy Eagles 52-50, were humbled 109-15 by the Harry Ainlay Titans and lost the third-place game 95-50 to the Bev Facey Falcons.
Ainlay beat the O’Leary Spartans in the final 86-57.
The St. Albert Skyhawks and Paul Kane Blues make their season debuts at home today in metro Edmonton women’s Division 1.
At 5 p.m. the Skyhawks host the Bev Facey Falcons and the Blues entertain the Harry Ainlay Titans.
Both teams are coming off road wins in Monday’s league openers. The Skyhawks crushed the Leduc Tigers 83-35 and the Blues buried the Archbishop Jordan Scots 79-47.
Jenell Desharnais of the Blues led all scorers with 33 points against the Scots. Brittney Mildenberger tossed in 13 and Sydney Hurlburt added 10.
Last season in division one the Skyhawks finished 13-2 as the metro finalists and the Blues were 11-3 as semifinalists.
The 33rd annual REB Invitational tips off Thursday for the St. Albert Skyhawks and Paul Kane Blues at Jasper Place High School.
The Skyhawks are the defending junior and senior women’s champions.
The opening game for the senior Skyhawks in the 12-team bracket is the 8 p.m. quarter-final against the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Clippers or Evan Hardy of Saskatoon.
The Skyhawks are coming off a repeat performance as the Mike Dea Classic champions at St. Francis Xavier High School.
The junior Skyhawks play the Bev Facey Falcons at 9 p.m. in the six-team bracket.
In last year’s finals the senior Skyhawks edged the Raymond Comets 70-69 and the junior Skyhawks beat the Chatham (Ont.) Kent Secondary Golden Hawks 77-58.
The junior Skyhawks went on to repeat as the metro Edmonton division one champions and at the 4A provincials the Comets won gold and the senior Skyhawks were awarded bronze.
The lady Blues hoop it up at 3:45 p.m. against the William Aberhart Orange of Calgary and at 5:30 p.m. the Paul Kane men battle the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Rams in the 12-team draw.
Visit www.rebinvitational.com for schedules and results.
The Paul Kane Blues finished third in the men’s and women’s divisions at the 22nd annual Totem Hoop Classic last weekend at Ross Sheppard High School.
Tournament all-star Danny Iskander drained 23 points and Thomas Laxdal added 18 as the Paul Kane men defeated the Magrath Zeniths 87-77 for third place.
Paul Kane beat the Leduc Tigers 74-66 in the lid-lifter and then lost 71-51 to the host Thunderbirds.
The lady Blues rolled over Leduc 72-43 for third place as Brittney Mildenberger fired five three-pointers for a game-high 21 points. Allison Hunder sank 15 points and Brittney Hinecker scored 13. All three are newcomers to the 4A provincial consolation finalists.
The Blues started the tournament with a 70-51 win over Magrath and lost the semifinal 65-43 to the Spruce Grove Panthers. At halftime the Blues trailed by six against the metro division one champions and fourth-place finishers at 4A provincials.
Tournament all-star Jenell Desharnais led the Blues with 13 points.
Three starters – Sydney Hurlburt, Rachel McIntyre and Paige Derworiz – were unavailable.
The Panthers clobbered the Strathcona Lords 68-24 in the final.
Last year the Blues lost the final to the Panthers and the Paul Kane men placed fourth.
Thursday the Sturgeon Spirits host their annual Rise Up tournament featuring eight men’s and eight women’s teams.
Sturgeon and the Bellerose Bulldogs are competing in both divisions and the Morinville lady Wolves are also entered.
The first game for the lady Spirits is noon against the Memorial Marauders.
The Sturgeon men and Memorial clash at 2 p.m., followed by the lady Wolves and O’Leary Spartans at 4 p.m. and the lady Bulldogs against the Louis St. Laurent Barons at 6 p.m.
Friday at 2 p.m. the Bellerose men battle a team from Regina.
Visit www.sturgeoncomp.ca for tournament updates.
