The annual Boston Pizza SAPEC junior high basketball tournament tips off Thursday at 4 p.m. in St. Albert.
The winning teams in the opening draw advance into the A bracket and the losing teams compete in the B bracket.
Saturday’s finals at Vincent J. Maloney School are 1 p.m. for the boys and 2:15 p.m. for the girls in the B division and 3:30 p.m. for the boys and 4:45 p.m. for the girls in the A division.
Games are scheduled for Sir George Simpson, Lorne Akins, Richard S. Fowler and VJM throughout the three-day competition.
The tournament features 16 girls’ and 16 boys’ teams. Local teams include the VJM Marauders, Elmer S. Gish Warriors, ESMMY Leopards, Lorne Akins Gators, Richard S. Fowler Falcons, Sir George Simpson Voyageurs, William D. Cuts Crusaders, Morinville Wolves, Camilla Thunderbirds and Sturgeon Heights Eagles.
Last year the lady Marauders won their fourth-straight tournament title and fifth in eight years and Fowler was victorious in the boys’ final.
The VJM girls and boys are also the defending SAPEC Tier I city champions.
Jenna Spruyt drained 37 points while dominating the boards for the Medicine Hat Kwahommies in Saturday’s final at the Paul Kane Classic.
Spruyt racked up 13 (three field goals and seven foul shots) of her team’s 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Kwahommies defeated the Paul Kane Blues 76-68.
Spruyt’s height advantage and rebounding prowess gave the Blues grief in the paint. In the first half the bronze medallist with Team Alberta at the 2014 Canada Basketball U17 nationals scored 13 of her 18 points in the opening quarter as the Kwahommies led 22-9.
Down 35-17 at halftime the Blues outscored the visitors 26-16 in the third quarter as Sydney Hurlburt pumped in 11 points, including three of the team’s five three-pointers in the period. Brit Mildenberger also tossed in a pair of threes as the Blues rallied in front of a packed Paul Kane gymnasium.
In the fourth quarter the Blues pulled to within two points of the Kwahommies three times before Spruyt rattled off a field goal, two free throws and converted an offensive rebound, followed by Vanessa MacGregor’s field goal to make it 70-60 lead with under four minutes remaining.
Hurlburt’s sixth three of the night with 2:56 to play left the Blues trailing by three. The tournament all-star led the Blues with 23 points.
Mildenberger finished the game with three threes and 13 points.
Rachel McIntyre tacked up seven of her 10 points in the last quarter and Britney Hinecker added nine points.
Isabel Rattai chipped in with 11 points for the Kwahommies and her second three of the game put the Blues down 62-57 with 5:05 to go.
Last year at the 4A provincials the Kwahommies beat the Blues by 20 points in the consolation final.
In Friday’s semifinals the Kwahommies knocked off the E.P. Scarlett Lancers of Calgary and the Blues downed the Catholic Central Cougars of Lethbridge 57-40.
Hurlburt riddled the Cougars for five threes and 21 points and Ashley Thomas sank nine points.
In the 4A rankings the Kwahommies are No. 6, the Blues are No. 9 and the Lancers and Cougars are honourable mentions.
The Blues were 3-1 in metro Edmonton division one and 8-5 overall entering Monday’s league game against the Strathcona Lords (2-1). The score was unavailable at press time.
The No. 1-ranked 4A St. Albert Skyhawks were scrambling to get back on track in high school women’s basketball after losing twice in the same week.
Tuesday’s score against the St. Francis Xavier Rams was unavailable at press time.
The Skyhawks were 3-1 in metro Edmonton division one and 11-2 overall after finishing third at the Chinook Invitational in Lethbridge last weekend.
In the semifinals the 2014 4A provincial bronze medallists fell 66-62 to the Raymond Comets, a 4A honourable mention.
The Skyhawks trailed by two with 24 seconds to play with the ball but turned it over twice. They were forced to foul and Raymond hit both free throws. The Skyhawks coughed up the ball again and never recovered.
The Skyhawks didn’t hold the lead until the third quarter against a small and young team that worked hard and shot the ball with accuracy. Haylee Ralph was Raymond’s top scorer with 19 points.
Co-captain Brielle Wise scored 16 of her team-high 20 points at the end of the third quarter and at the beginning of the fourth period to lead the Skyhawks attack.
Co-captain Marinya Marcichiw tossed in 16 points and Riki Steward added 12 against last year’s 4A provincial silver medallists.
In the final Raymond lost by 21 to the St. Francis Browns of Calgary, ranked fourth in 4A.
In the third-place game Steward pumped in 14 points as the Skyhawks strangled the No. 8-ranked 3A McCoy Colts of Medicine Hat 84-34. Wise and Aphia Ward had 12 points apiece and Jamie Bain scored 11 against last year’s 3A provincial finalists.
In the tournament opener the Skyhawks defeated the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs of Calgary 80-46. Wise posted 13 points, Sam Dargis sank 12 and Marcichiw and Bain drained 11 apiece.
The Skyhawks started last week off with their first loss after a 9-0 start to the season, 61-46 to the Jasper Place Rebels (3-3) in league play. Co-captain Jessa Ivicak and Steward didn’t not play in the loss. Ivicak also didn’t travel with the Skyhawks to the Chinook tournament.
