Jasper Place – The Paul Kane Blues are playing a wait-and-see game as the defending champions at the REB Invitational.
“I don’t think we’re coming in thinking that we’re going to win because we know that every team in this tournament is going to be a good team so we’re taking it one game at a time and focusing our hardest at each step we take,” said Ella Stanley, the team’s co-captain and last year’s tournament MVP, after Thursday’s 92-51 dismantlement of the Harry Ainlay Titans.
The tournament lid-lifter for Paul Kane was played before the St. Albert Skyhawks downed the Lethbridge Collegiate Clippers 72-46 and set the stage for Friday’s semifinal showdown between the metro Edmonton division one rivals.
When asked if Paul Kane would like to play the Skyhawks on Friday, Stanley replied: “Whatever team we play we’re still going to have to come out hard because they are both very good.” Stanley is one of the seven returnees from the 2018 4A provincial consolation championship team.
The score was unavailable at press time.
The outcome also determined if Paul Kane plays today in the 2 p.m. third-place game or the 6 p.m. final against the host Jasper Place Rebels or Western Canada Redhawks of Calgary.
Last year Paul Kane knocked off the Rebels 70-52 in the final for its first REB title in team history.
The first loss for the Rebels since the 2016 4A provincial final was also the only victory for Paul Kane in five league and tournament (three finals) games against the 2018 metro division one finalists and fourth-place finishers at 4A provincials.
The teams tipped off the metro regular season Monday with Paul Kane falling short 67-59 at Jasper Place.
“I don’t think we went in there thinking we were going to win because we knew it was going to be a tough match,” Stanley said. “We could’ve played a lot harder at certain times of the game. We had very good times in the game, but we also had some that weren’t so good, but in general we’ve could've brought the intensity up.
”It was close, but I still think we can beat them.”
In Wednesday’s home opener, Paul Kane rolled over the Titans 64-34.
”It was OK, but it was really important for more of our younger players to get in that game and they had a really good game,” said Stanley of the roster of five newcomers, including two Grade 10s.
The rematch Thursday was a mismatch. The Titans barely scored a point in the second quarter as Paul Kane sealed the deal at halftime up 49-18 and after three quarters it was 68-38.
“The first half we started off really strong. We had that mindset because we played Ainlay the day before and we didn't play as hard as we wanted at the start so we took that and learned from that and then we started off stronger than we did yesterday,” said Stanley, the top scorer Thursday with 16 points.
Co-captain Kaitlyn Kluttig produced 11 points, Kayleena Garda added 10 and Jules Froment, Bella Gaulden and Gracie Reschke recorded nine apiece as Paul Kane used the three-ball to its advantage.
Paul Kane was 3-3 in league and tournament action before going toe-to-toe with the Skyhawks, the 2018 metro division one champions and 4A provincial bronze medallists.
“Our hustle and hard work more than anything is our strength,” said Stanley, who is joined by Kluttig as the only starters back from last season’s 28-7 showing and they are among four Grade 12s on the team. “Last year we were more of a talented team. This year we still do have lots of talent, but we’re a very hard-working team. Our hustle is absolutely crazy so that will help us in the long run which is really important.”
As for the one area that needs tweaking, “Probably our energy, like starting off the game and coming out really hard instead of kind of lacking and then getting hard. We need to be consistent throughout the whole game,” said Stanley.
The Team Alberta player at the 2017 Canada Summer Games also hooped it up on the U17 provincial team this summer with Kluttig and a trio of Skyhawks – Teå DeMong, Kamryn DeKlerk and Mimi Sigue. Alberta placed fourth overall at nationals in Fredericton, N.B.
“My role on the team was more like a leadership role,” said Stanley, a six-foot-two “perimeter kind of guard/shooter” in her last appearance playing for Alberta. “It was lots of fun. It was a really good last experience. I’ve never been to the east coast of Canada so that was really awesome to see.”
Stanley, 17, will shoulder a heavy offensive burden this season as Paul Kane’s go-to shooter while playing “everything one through five, whatever I can do. Sometimes I dribble the ball up and sometimes I’m in the post. I like to be on the perimeter more though and shoot,” said the attendee at the 2016 Canada Basketball cadet camp and 2017 U16 national assessment camp.
League play resumes Monday for Paul Kane at the Strathcona Lords (1-1) at 5:30 p.m.
