BOW VALLEY – It was an emotional end to the season for Canmore and Banff basketball teams that stepped onto the podium at zones.
Top two teams collide in JV finals
The Brooks Buffaloes defeated the Canmore Wolverines 86-76 in the gold medal game at the JV boys zones on Saturday (March 9).
For the Wolverines, it was a stinging loss after a season with big expectations. The team had only lost one game before zones.
“They went into it feeling like they could really win,” said Wolverines coach Fraser Quelch. “We had a lot of confidence coming in and, I think, that was rightfully so. … While it was a loss, I thought the boys played their hearts out.”
Wolverines’ Sonny Whittington dropped a team-high 22 points, Bekkett Roste scored 20 and Tristen Quelch added 13.
It was a back-and-forth physical affair between the No. 1 ranked Wolverines and No. 2 seeded Buffaloes. So close that it was tied heading into the fourth quarter.
The Buffaloes made their charge early in the frame, going on a 6-0 run. The Wolverines kept it close, but the Buffaloes wouldn’t break under pressure. Down the stretch, the Wolverines were forced to put the Buffaloes’ players on the charity stripe for possessions but it wouldn’t work in the local boys’ favour as the game was put out of reach.
Quelch said the Buffaloes switched from a zone coverage to man-to-man in the second half, which threw off the Wolverines’ offensive game.
“Even though we ended up scoring 76 points, we didn’t get very much of that in transition, which we usually do. It ended up being very much a half court affair,” he said.
“The one thing I thought [the Buffaloes] really did a good job of is they managed our pressure very well and that’s not the case normally.”
Looking ahead to next year, Quelch thinks there is a lot to be excited about with the senior and JV boys teams.
Historic medal for Banff girls
The Banff Bears senior girls won bronze at zones after defeating the Acme Reds 46-35.
Coming off a first finals appearance at their home tournament, third place is the Banff girls’ first-ever medal at zones.
“This team has always been breaking the records,” said Breanne Carr, the Bears’ captain.
Maya Daniel scored a team-high 21 points, Grace Gibson had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Stella Geestman might be wanted by local law enforcement for eight steals.
The Bears had a slow start to the game and were down 17-10 in the second. However, the sleepy Bears woke up and went on a 13-5 run to end the half. The Bears held onto the lead, going up as much as 15 points before the final buzzer.
“The vibe after the game in the dressing room, we were all very excited, some people were crying,” said Carr. “Everyone gave their heart out and it was amazing how we really came together just to win that final game for us and be the first to get in zones and actually place in third.”
The Bears were ranked No. 4 heading into zones. They defeated the Torchu Jays, 46-29 in the opening game. The following day, and against the No. 1 Three Hills Royals, the Bears lost a tough game, 66-25, which sent the local girls to the third place matchup.
Waiting for the bronze medal game, the team watched basketball star-in-the-rising Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes win a third straight Big Ten tournament title.
“She has definitely become an inspiration for girls basketball,” said Carr. “She’s breaking all the records and we’re all like one day we’ll be like that and we all watched how that team connected.”
In other local zones results, the Wolverines JV girls won the consolation final.
The Wolverines senior boys and girls were eliminated after losing their first two games, respectively.
