The undefeated Bellerose Bulldogs were one win away from advancing to the metro Edmonton division two junior men’s final after winning their eighth game in a row.
Tuesday’s 65-61 decision against the Austin O’Brien Crusaders (6-4) at Bellerose sent the Bulldogs into Friday’s semifinal against the visiting Queen Elizabeth Knights (7-2) but the score was unavailable at press time.
The winner plays the J. Percy Page Panthers (8-1) or Archbishop Jordan Scots (8-2) in today’s final at 3 p.m. at Memorial Composite High School.
Meanwhile, the lady Bulldogs hooped it up in the division three senior women’s final against the M.E. Lazerte Voyageurs (6-5) Friday but the score was unavailable at press time.
The sixth consecutive victory for the Bulldogs (8-3) was 49-38 over the St. John Paul II Patriots (5-6) in Wednesday’s semifinal at Fort Saskatchewan.
The St. Albert Skyhawks took it on the chin in Wednesday’s metro Edmonton division one senior women’s semifinal against the No. 1-ranked 4A team in the province.
The Jasper Place Rebels clobbered the visiting Skyhawks 68-26 to go 11-0 in league play and 30-0 overall as winners of six tournaments with 11 players back from last year’s 4A provincial silver-medal team.
The Skyhawks finished 6-5.
The loss also ended the Skyhawks’ streak of five-straight trips to the final and six in the last seven years.
Last year the Skyhawks lost their third final in a row since the merger of the metro and public Edmonton leagues, 61-53 to the Rebels.
This is also the fourth 4A season for the Skyhawks after a record-breaking four consecutive 3A provincial banners.
The Skyhawks are ranked eighth in 4A.
The Paul Kane Blues went down to defeat in their home gym in Wednesday’s metro Edmonton playoff tripleheader.
The first game was 79-64 for the Edmonton Christian Lions (9-2) over the Blues (7-3) in the division two senior men’s quarter-finals.
The next game was 69-52 for the Archbishop Jordan Scots (8-2) over the Blues (5-3) in the division two junior men’s quarter-finals.
The last game was an upset, as the Strathcona Lords (6-5) knocked off the No. 5-ranked 4A women’s team in the province 67-63 in the division one semifinals.
Bronwen Barter’s jumper with 3:45 left in the second quarter gave the lady Blues (7-4) their last lead of the night at 26-25.
The Lords, a 4A honourable mention, ended the first half on top 33-30.
In the third quarter, the Lords led by as much nine points before the Blues battled back to trail 54-51 to close out the period.
The Blues tied it at 63 as Ella Stanley hit a foul shot after missing the first free-throw attempt with 1:38 remaining.
The Lords would go to sink a basket off a turnover with 27.9 seconds to play and they later made two free throws with 11.6 ticks on the clock after the Blues were forced to foul after an unsuccessful field goal attempt.
Allie Hunder scored a team-high 19 points in her last game at Paul Kane as the lone Grade 12 player on the roster.
Stanley added 10 points, including the last four by the Blues.
Barter also drained 10 points and Tegan MacKinnon, Alesha Stanley and Anika Steele had six apiece. Two of MacKinnon’s baskets were timely scores in the fourth quarter.
The Blues are 20-10 overall after the loss.
Provincials are March 16 to 18 in Lethbridge for the Blues and St. Albert Skyhawks.
