The Paul Kane Blues failed to show up Thursday for the Edmonton zone final in high school hoops.
The disappearing act by the Blues allowed the Harry Ainlay Titans, the No. 1-ranked 4A team in Alberta, to run up the score in a 100-66 blowout at Concordia University College.
“Everyone didn’t come out focused,” said Stuart Boucher, a third-year Paul Kane guard. “You can’t go into provincials not focused like that for games.”
The anticlimactic showdown between the metro and public league champions determined the top seed in the zone at the 16-team provincials next week in Raymond and Cardston.
The Blues will now play the Strathcona Lords or Jasper Place Rebels in today’s zone playoff for the second and third zone seeds at provincials. Tip-off is 5 p.m. at Concordia.
“We have to forget about the Harry Ainlay game, get back into the gym and have a good practice and come out focused,” Boucher said.
Last year the Blues were seeded eighth at provincials as the third zone qualifier after losses of 90-68 to the Titans and 87-72 to Jasper Place.
The Blues placed eighth at provincials while finishing the season at 29-12 overall.
The fifth-ranked 4A team is 21-12 after the disappointing effort against the Titans.
“We have to stay positive, work hard in practice and come out ready to play in the rest of our games,” Boucher said.
The two-time defending metro league premier champions barely turned a wheel in the opening 10 minutes and trailed by 23 at quarter time.
“We came out scared,” Boucher said
The Titans kept racking up the points against the shell-shocked Blues for an insurmountable 31-point lead at halftime.
“In the first half they just outworked us. They didn’t allow us to play our offence. We weren’t even calling out plays. It was just bad,” Boucher said.
After three quarters the score was 91-49.
With 1:30 left to play, a field goal made it 100-61.
“We just didn’t play D against them,” Boucher said.
Grade 12 all-stars Tyler Wise and Khalil Bertin struggled putting points on the board. Wise mustered only three points in the first quarter and Bertin was held to just four points overall after going scoreless in the first half.
Hyrum Sutton paced the offence in the first half with 11 points.
Boucher scored 11 of his team-high 14 points in the second half.
Peter McKay finished the game with 12 points and rookie Jacob Laxdal had 10.
“We’re definitely looking to do better in our next game,” said Boucher, 17.
