Spruce Grove – Tuesday’s clash of the 4A titans in provincial high school women’s basketball lived up to the hype.
The marquee match-up between the No. 1-ranked Spruce Grove Panthers and the No. 2-ranked St. Albert Skyhawks brought out the very best in the metro Edmonton division one combatants.
“It was a tough battle and we knew it was going to be right from the beginning,” said Sam Dargis after the Skyhawks passed the litmus test with a score of 67-57. “It was really intense but it was definitely a good game to play in.”
Both teams are 10-1 in division one after winning their respective league games Wednesday.
Overall the Skyhawks were 24-2 and the Panthers were 21-2 before the Panther Classic tipped-off Friday at Spruce Grove.
“We were really looking forward to this game,” said Dargis, a Grade 11 point guard. “After losing to one of the top teams down south (66-62 against the 4A provincial champion Raymond Comets) and the Rebels (61-46 against Jasper Place) it really helps us get our momentum back. We realize now that we can beat these kind of teams.”
Last season the Skyhawks finished 1-3 against the Panthers, with losses in league play and in the finals of the Panther Classic and division one playoffs but at provincials the St. Albert Catholic High School squad was victorious 56-51 in the bronze-medal game.
There is also a strong bond between the teams through Panthawk Basketball (Panther Athletic Club and Skyhawks Basketball).
“The rivalry between friends is always tough in a game like this with all that energy by both teams,” Dargis said.
The tug-of-war featured 14 lead changes and the last one was Riki Steward’s basket from the low post to put the Skyhawks on top 42-41 with 2:14 left in the third quarter.
The Skyhawks outscored the home team 21-18 in the period to lead 48-45 with 10 minutes to play.
An 8-3 point run in the opening 2:50 minutes of the last quarter was capped off by Steward’s offensive rebound as the Skyhawks gradually distanced themselves from the Panthers.
A huge three-pointer by Aphia Ward, the third of the game for the Skyhawks, was followed by a defensive stop that triggered a driving layup by Brielle Wise during a 20-second span as the lead expanded to 61-53 with 3:58 remaining.
“Consistency and our strong push at the end helped us win this game,” Dargis said. “Our rebounding and finishing really helped us too. We got a lot of offensive rebounds and put them back up and that got us a lot of points.”
The longest point run in a match filled with ebbs and flows was 11 by the Skyhawks, finished off by Alexi Pusch’s free throw to make it 27-21 late in the first half.
The Panthers answered with three field goals and the last bucket was deposited with five seconds remaining before the break to knot it at 27.
“The TSN turning point was at the half. That’s when we realized that we really wanted to win this game,” Dargis said.
Steward was the team’s top scorer with 15 points while dominating the paint.
Wise drained 11 points and Dargis added 11 on the strength of seven in a row (three field goals and one free throw) in the third quarter.
Marinya Marcichiw dropped in 10 points and Jessa Ivicak had eight as the Skyhawks spread the scoring around.
“We all made contributions as a team. People didn’t try doing stuff that they’re not usually doing. We just played our game and that’s what helped us win it,” said Dargis, a tournament all-star for the Titans Tri-Prov champions last weekend at Harry Ainlay High School.
The Panthers were led by Vanessa Wild’s game-high 20 points, including nine in the first quarter. Christine Kootenay netted 13 points and Aiden Kilcommons tacked up 10.
Dargis, 16, stressed the result was satisfying but the team’s ultimate goal is to win provincials next month at Jasper Place High School.
“It’s good but it’s nothing to get too excited about. We still have to keep on working. It’s not going to get easier from here,” said the Beaumont resident in her second season with the varsity team.
FREE THROWS: At the Panther Classic the Skyhawks and Panthers are positioned to renew their rivalry today in the 5:45 p.m. third-place game or the 7:30 p.m. final.
Friday the Skyhawks played the E.P. Scarlett Lancers of Calgary, a 4A honourable mention, but the score was unavailable at press time.
A victory would set up today’s semifinal tilt between the Skyhawks and the Strathcona Lords or the No. 3-ranked 4A Cardston Cougars at 12:30 p.m.
The tournament draw includes the No. 5-ranked 4A Western Canada Redhawks of Calgary, the No. 6-ranked 4A William Aberhart Orange of Calgary and the Medicine Hat Kwahommies, a 4A honourable mention.
The Skyhawks were 14-1 in tournament action as winners of four out of five competitions going into the Panther Classic.
