CANMORE – Backed by possibly the strongest senior boys basketball team in school history, the Canmore Wolverines have high ambitions this season.
And there’s good reason to believe that the team’s list of goals, like winning zones and making a deep run at provincials, are well within reach with all-star brothers Ethan and Jaxon Fisher pushing the attack.
“Our team will go as well as they go,” said head coach Mike Langlois.
Of his 26 years coaching high school basketball, Langlois said the talented twins are among the elite he’s seen and should be playing post-secondary hoops following graduation.
But before grad and before recruitment scouts come visiting, the Wolverines have “a fire in their belly” for what’s in front of them.
“We’re trying to win zones for sure and go to provincials,” said guard Jaxon. “This will be everyone’s last go at it, so we need to win now or we don’t get to. I think we [have it in us], our team is very good. I’m confident.”
Of the eight zones in the province, the south central zone is “one of the toughest” for 3A boys basketball.
Early in the season, the Wolverines’ Grade 12 core has noticed an “immensely improved” squad since last season with the skill being more “evenly spread around the team.”
“Four of the five starters played club ball this fall,” said Ethan. “Everyone got more games in there.”
If the other South Central zones teams didn’t already have the Wolverines and the Fishers on their scouting reports, they do now after the season opening home tournament (Dec. 2-3) at Canmore Collegiate High School.
Led on-court by the Fishers’ fierce one-two punch, the Wolverines handed out an absolute basketball beat-down.
Winning all four games, the Wolverines outscored opponents 332-198 combined – a stat skewed only by the hometown team mostly sitting its starting line-up in the final two games.
The #Canmore Wolverines senior boys basketball team, which has aspirations to go deep at provincials, just dominated their season opener home tourney. They outscored 4 opponents 332-198 combined. pic.twitter.com/BWfUYF1Gx7
— Jordan Small (@jordiesmall) December 4, 2022
Jaxon – a slick ball-handler blessed with the shooter’s touch – and Ethan – an aggressive forward who gets to the rim – kept scorekeepers busy as the other teams’ defences fell apart. In the three games they started, Ethan averaged 32 points per game and Jaxon averaged 25 points per game.
First playing organized ball in middle school, the Fishers’ games elevated on club teams such as the Bow Valley Basketball, and Calgary’s Genesis.
When asked if the brothers have a friendly-rivalry that pushes them to grow in the game, a quick “yes” was all that needed to be said.
The two are certified stat-stuffers; driving up numbers across the board from rebounding, second chance points, steals, tips, blocks, and assists – whatever the stat, the Fishers were in the green.
Just ask the Bow Valley High School Bobcats.
“We held Bow Valley in our last game to nine points at half, which is pretty good,” said Jaxon.
Up 48 points, the Wolverines had mopped the floor with the Cochrane team by half time. The Fishers contributing to 38 of them.
“Everyone worked really hard on defence and it turned into a lot of fast breaks and we put teams away really fast,” said Ethan.
A hard-nosed defence set the tone in the tournament. Even in blow out games, the Wolverines grinded and made hustle plays that would make any coach proud.
“Before the game I said ‘we play Canmore basketball,’” said coach Langlois. “Canmore basketball is high intensity, pressure defence, push the ball on offence, keep the ball moving and is attacking. We want to make teams feel uncomfortable playing us.”
However, getting out of zones unscathed is easier said than done, said Langlois.
“[Last season], we didn’t play as well as we thought we could have and we left a little bit out on the floor,” said Langlois. “I think our boys remember that and they come out here to compete and there’s a fire in their belly and they can go.”
