(From the Stanstead College yearbook)
Senior Girls
This post season marks the end of one of the most enjoyable eras of my coaching career. It is rare to have continuity at a boarding school, but luckily for me, and luckily for Stonstead College, a core of five players stayed together at the varsity level for the past three years. Nayla, Erin, Julio, Lyanne and Madyson all made the senior team as Grade l0s bock in November 2012. Since those early days, not only have they all improved immensely, but every single one of them has come to love basketball. What else could a coach ask for?
I mentioned improvement. In 2012-13 (Year I) we finished with 13 wins vs 22 losses. In Year II, 20 wins and 13 losses. And in Year III we recorded 27 wins vs just 10 losses. This kind of steadily increasing success is a testament to what experience and teamwork - what some would call "intangibles" - can really accomplish.
But the core didn't do it alone. No way. Sadie, Susannah, Ashley, Mya and Chloe moved up from Junior and made huge contributions all season long, while Kayla and Rina, our two walk-ons, were equally instrumental to our success. Every player had a role, embraced that role, and made the team stronger. Strong enough to earn Silver Medals at the MIS and at the Bailly. Strong enough to win our own invitational. And most impressively, strong enough to beat the mighty Galt Pipers twice (I) during the regular season to win the coveted ETIAC banner for the first time in six years.
We played some very good basketball this season, and earned more than our fair share of memorable moments: Chloe's three-pointer with 13 seconds left against Ridley to send our first CAIS game into OT; Kayla's suffocating get-in-her-head defence against BCS's best player; Mady's from-the-rafters offensive rebound agains. Galt to clinch the banner; the Bailly heartbreak; Lyanne playing post at the McLeod; the instant classic double-OT win against MVR.
When I odd these memories to the highlights from the previous two seasons, I realize how blessed I am. Blessed to coach such o fine group of young women. To enjoy the best of what high school sports has to offer. To have been part of this magnificent era. And now, with the amazing number of girls in the school whose favourite sport is basketball? With how great a culture we have for girls' hoops? With the experienced veterans returning and the talented players moving up from Junior? Hooboy! Kids, I can't wait - looks like it's time for the next era!
Junior Girls
Our record this year was 1 1-7. We were fourth out of 12 at the MIS Tournament, second in our division, going ahead of a team that beat us because of a three-way tie (points against) and our awesome defence. We lost in the ETIAC finals, had a play-in game to go to provincials, where we won the consolation. All in all a great season where we learned and improved a lot, laughed even more and hod fun! Our Sportsmanship Award was shared by Kayla Ouellet, our co-captain, who was always encouraging; and Claudia Romero, a fierce competitor on the court who kept us laughing off the court. A Junior S went to Mackenzy St-Pierre. I kept giving her new things to learn all season. It was rewarding to watch her confidence and abilities grow this season as well as her belief in herself and her teammates. The second "S" went to co-captain Kaylee Bowen. Kaylee is canny and never stops going after all loose balls, and she's so tough. She has become so consistent and did each of these and more every game. Kaylee did not have o bad game all season, and that is why we were as successful as we were.
Bantam Girls
Thanks, girls. Thank you all for the layups, the warmups, the wall taps, the jump shots, the foul shots, the 3-point shots. Thanks for Breakout, Four Corners, burpees, bear crawls. Thanks for the ball sprints, 2-ball sprints, no-ball sprints. Thanks for the 3-man weave, "banana" runs. Thanks for the backdoor passes, the full-court passes, box outs, fast breaks and press breaks. Thanks for the quality time, the good tunes, the road trips, the sleepovers, the selfies and snapchats, the matching T-shirt, the fizzy water, making us lough, making us nervous and pulling through when we really needed it. Thank you for being humble in victory and for being gracious in defeat. Hopefully this is a quality that will follow you for your entire career. Speaking of victory, we were undefeated in four months and 20 games of basketball. We won the Montreal Invitational Tournament, the BCS tournament, ETIAC league and playoffs. This is unprecedented. You are unprecedented. Here's one last piece of advice: work as hard as you can, as fast as you can, for as long as you can.
(From the Stanstead College website, November 26th)
Team Defense Carries the Day!
First ETIAC league game. Against the mighty Alexander Galt Pipers. We’d played three tournaments already to prepare for this day. Had we prepared enough?
Opening whistle blows, Galt scores the first basket, but after that the 1st quarter belongs to the Red & White, and specifically to 1st-year senior Chloe Van Dyke. Check this out; with the score 3-2 for us, Chloe splashes a three (from the red line, not the white!), then nails a long jumper, then steals the ball, gets fouled, and drains two poi-fect free throws for 7 points in row! That Vanslaught forces the Galt coach to call timeout, and as the players jog it in we’re up 10-2. What a start!
That early 8-point lead would ultimately turn out to be the final difference in this thrilling upset victory, but it took a lot of great play by a lot of Spartans to maintain that margin. For example,
- Mady St.-Pierre had her best game of the year, with 10 pts on only 11 shots, active rebounding, and much-improved help defense
- Kayla Clarke had her hands full with Galt’s all-province guard #9, but this time she got fantastic help from her teammates, who clogged the driving lanes and communicated the best they’ve done all season defending the pick n roll, effectively turning #9 into a jump shooter (albeit a ridiculously good one!).
- and super-hustler Julia Gilpin did what she does, i.e. without a single play called for her, she again managed to tie for the team lead in scoring (10 pts), while also leading in defensive AND offensive rebounds. Maybe I’ll just start calling her “Glulia” from now on, because she is so the “glue” of this team.
The 2nd quarter was back and forth. Galt did cut the lead to only 4 at one point, but we took their best punch and the half ended with the good guys up 29-19. And then in the pivotal 3rd quarter – where we could let the Pipers back into the game or we could extend our lead – we were awesome! In what has become the Spartan Way this season, five different players (Rina, Erin, Mya, Julia and Kayla) scored to win the quarter 16-9, basically icing the game as it gave us a commanding 45-28 lead entering the 4th. From there it was never really in doubt, as Stanstead rode its mucho-improved half-court defense to the final whistle and a hee-yoooge 51-42 win!
Once again the offense was balanced, with eight separate players scoring and four of those in double digits. But I can’t say enough about the team defense today. Whichever five happened to be on the floor, every player was completely focused, INTENSE, active, feet moving, helping, challenging passing lanes, TALKING , rebounding, getting back in transition. We won today because we wanted it more than they did, and that kind of DESIRE shows up the most on defense.
And by the way, that was the first time we’ve beaten Galt in 5 years – well done, ladies! Suh-Weet!
(From the Stanstead College website, December 2nd)
Escape From Cowansville
What do you want first? The good news, or the bad news?...ok, we’ll go with the bad news first;
- Boxing-out and defensive rebounding were awful, the worst all season
- Despite a good warmup, we started the game flat. No intensity. Why? I don’t know
- Julia (aka Glulia), who sets the tone for us in terms of energy and hustle, was whistled for her 4th foul in the first half, forcing her to sit out the entire 3rd quarter
- Coach Van Dyke and his statistician messed up royally by not realizing Julia had all those fouls
- We had a bad case of the “travels”
- Boxing-out and defensive rebounding were horrendous, the worst all season
- Massey-Vanier out-hustled us, out-quicked us, and worst of all, outworked us for 80% of this game
- Kayla fouled out early in the 4th quarter
- It felt like the reffing was against us
- Offensive rebounding was almost non-existent
- We had very few fast break opportunities, due to our boxing-out and defensive rebounding being atrocious, the worst all season
- It took us over 15 tries to run our zone offense properly
- By my count we tossed up at least 12 airballs today, some of those on free throws… honestly, we laid enough bricks to start our own Habitat for Humanity
- After leading 15-7 at half, we allowed a 7-0 run, making it 15-14 halfway through the 3rd quarter
- We were 2 of 12 on foul shots
- Did I mention our boxing-out and rebounding?
But now the good news
- We ran “Iso” so well for a stretch in the 2nd quarter that Massey was forced to completely abandon playing man against us. In fact, they switched to zone right after Rina and Mady executed the best pick and roll of the season for a bee-yoo-tiful uncontested layup
- Mya made some much-needed hustle plays throughout the game, getting her nose dirty, diving on the floor. “I think I like diving on the floor!” she said after the game. We like it too, Mya!
- Julia hit her first three-pointer, not only of the season, but OF HER LIFE!!
- Ashley provided a real spark off the bench in the 3rd quarter, helping to ignite The RunTM
- Sadie provided another spark off the bench in the 3rd, also helping to ignite The RunTM
- What was The RunTM? After MVR made the score 15-14 midway through the 3rd, your Stanstead Spartans outscored the Vikings 29-9 the rest of the way. 29-9!
- And the bulk of that damage was done by Player Of The GameTM Chloe Van Dyke, who hit not one…not two…not three……not four……….but FIVE three-pointers in the 2nd half! FIVE! Now that is a Vanslaught! Once she figured out that the 3-point line was 18 inches closer in than the one at home in Stanstead, the kid just couldn’t miss, in the end finishing with 22 points 5 rebounds
3 steals and a blocked shot. What a game!
- And finally, I was proud of the way we handled our opponents getting frustrated and chippy in the 4th quarter. No retaliation. No silly altercations. Just basketball, and class. Well-played, ladies.
So despite all the things we did wrong, we somehow escaped Cowansville with a 44-23 victory. But hopefully we realize that we can’t depend on hot shooting alone to beat good teams. Sometimes the jump shots won’t drop, and we will have to try to win with intensity. And hustle. And pride.
See you at boxing-out practice tomorrow .
(From the Stanstead college website, December 5th)
Spartans Roll in Richmond
After a lacklustre performance earlier in the week, the girls came to play in this one, focused from the opening tip. And because of this intensity, we did a lot of things right...
- we pressed throughout the 1st quarter, with great results (7 steals and only 3 shots allowed!)
- on the shots we did allow, boxing out was much improved (although it WILL continue to be emphasized in practice, don’t worry )
- A perfect 10 out of 10 players scored(!), and in a variety of ways – fast breaks, three-pointers, hustle plays, putbacks, set offense, twisty layups (Julia this time, not Rina!). For a while there it seemed like everything worked – hopefully we can keep being this diverse going forward
- But ulimately, nothing looked better on this day than our zone offense, which we executed properly for the first time all season. The ball was flying around the perimeter, players were shooting confidently, the decision-making by Rina and Mya and Chloe and Erin was fantastic, and when we ran Bolton all the way to the end, producing perfect little short shots for Mady and Zannah and Ashley and Nayla and Kayla – sometimes after eight (8!) consecutive passes – it was so bee-YOO-tiful it nearly made me cry (and the fact that it meant no burpies probably brought a tear to the girls’ eyes, too!)
All in all it was an incredibly fun way to finish the 1st half of the season – in fact, after the game one of the scorekeepers came over and told me we looked like the Harlem Globetrotters out there, and who has more fun than the Globetrotters!? And even though the final score was lopsided (47-6), we took the entire game seriously, maintained our level of play, learned a lot, and won with class. Well done, ladies!
!! Have a Great Holiday, and see y’all in 2015 !!
(From the Stanstead College website, January 13th)
Well, They Can’t All Be Good Games
In many respects, it was as if we’d never played basketball before. We couldn’t snatch a rebound without looking like we were trying to grab a butter-covered watermelon. We couldn’t pick up a loose ball without it rolling away from us, often backwards between our legs. We couldn’t fast break without fumbling the dribble or turning it over. We refused to go strong. We’d forget to offensive rebound. We were too flatfooted to jump the passing lanes. And last but not least, we couldn’t shoot, and when I say couldn’t shoot, I’m talking at least 15 airballs, no rim, no exaggeration.
But enough doom and gloom, let’s focus on the positive
- despite everything, we won a hugely important ETIAC game 32-19, on the road…
- after coming up empty for most of the game, Bolton came through when it counted for six important 2nd half points…
- we intelligently forced BCS to find other players besides #21 to bring up the ball, which produced tons of turnovers and was a big reason why we ended up winning…
- Rina Takahashi’s help defense was excellent, and on-ball defense even better. When she was off the ball she was always properly positioned, and when she was at the point of attack she gave the BCS point guard fits with her lateral movement and low/quick hands…
- Mya Daigle was also fantastic defensively, as her athleticism and desire helped her finish the game with eight steals (8!), the most for any Spartan so far this year…
- And finally, Player Of The GameTM Madyson St. Pierre was a force. She started the game in full Beast-Mode and never let up, finishing with 19 pts and 16 rebounds. A 19/16 double/double, areyoukiddingme?!?! Incredible stuff…
So there’s not much else to say, we all need to learn from this experience (including me), so let’s get back on the horse and do just that. See y’all at practice .
(From the Stanstead College website, January 19th)
Game Report Jan 19th, 2015
It was the 2nd and final game against Richmond Regional High School, and unfortunately for our opponents it was even more one-sided than the first time we played them. This year’s Spartans team is just too talented and too deep, and even when we fell back into a soft zone the Raiders had trouble hitting shots.
Offensively we worked on our zone offense, with mixed results. Sometimes the ball flew around the perimeter, but not always. Sometimes we attacked enough to get the ball inside – other times we settled for jumpers.
But when we DID get the ball into the paint it was bee-yoo-tiful to see. First the guards would use crisp ball movement to compromise Richmond’s defensive spacing. Then they would find either the high post or low post with a quick entry pass. And finally the post players would do the rest, to the tune of 17 pts for Mady and 16 pts for Susannah (who had easily her best game of the year!).
This league win keeps us in first place and undefeated in the E.T.I.A.C., but The Re-MatchTM against Alexander Galt is only nine days away. Nine days. And the Pipers will be gunning for us, as that game will probably determine the 2014-15 ETIAC League Champion. So let’s use the next nine days to get better. Let’s make the most of our practices and the BCS Tournament this weekend.
We’ve gotta get better, because we KNOW Galt will be.
(From the Stanstead College website, January 28th)
Character
We could have folded.
When our opponents started draining jump shot after jump shot. When the Galt bench and Galt fans roared in triumph after every swish. When we started panicking and turning the ball over. When the 15-point lead we’d worked so hard to build (due to a perfectly executed 1st half) disappeared – !POOF! – by the start of the 4th quarter. When the pressure mounted, our opponents got hot, and everything started to slip away.
We could have folded.
And I wouldn’t have blamed the players if they had. After all, they’re only kids. Heck, two of them are only Grade 9, for pete’s sake.
But they didn’t fold.
4th Quarter:
31-30 For us. We change the defensive scheme – it had worked perfectly for most of the game, but Galt had finally figured it out. Despite our adjustment, they score to take their first lead of the game.
31-32 Chloe halts the Piper momentum with a clutch three-pointer from the right corner.
34-32 The defense hones in and holds twice in a row. Lyanne gets fouled on an aggressive drive. Hits one out of two.
35-32 Galt’s all-province super-guard #9 shakes free and nails a textbook pull-up jumper, her 7th and 8th points of the game. They would be her last.
35-34 Lyanne finds Kayla on a Bolton cut, Kayla finishes tough inside.
37-34 Defense digs in. Steals, defensive rebounds, monster hustle. Nothing easy allowed. And then Bolton works again – Rina to Chloe to Kayla. To run it that well, at that moment? Wow!
39-34 Chloe finds Mady inside early in the offense, strong move, fouled. Splits the free throws.
40-34 Defense is all over the Pipers now. No one is tired. All 5 are dialed in. Nothing anywhere for Galt to attack. They’re getting frustrated. The end is near. Two minutes left. Then Rina picks the point guard’s pocket (for the 2nd time in the game) and cruises in for the calmest, most bee-yoo-tiful uncontested layup I’ve ever seen.
42-34 Rina earns her 4th foul, so she has to play it conservative. This gives their #12, who played fantastic and torched us with non-stop jumpers in that disastrous 3rd quarter, some space. She makes us pay with a pure jump shot.
42-36 One minute left, and surely the game must be over after Mady swoops in from the rafters with the best offensive rebound of her life, and puts it back up Beast-mode for two, no? Galt’s gotta give up now, right?
44-36 #12 splashes a three. The crowd goes nuts.
44-39 We miss on offense. 40 seconds left. #12 gets fouled. The crowd goes insane. She makes the first. Misses the second. We secure the defensive rebound (which we’d done magnificently all game).
44-40 We misfire again, but take good time off the clock. 20 seconds left. #12 somehow drains another jump shot. The crowd goes certifiably bonkers. It’s like a prison riot in there.
44-42 We barely miss a short jumper. Six seconds left. Last defensive possession…here they come…and Rina steps in front of a pass, intercepts it, dribbles up court, passes to Kayla, the clock hits 00, and the game is over. Cheers. Celebration. Hugs all around.
No. These players definitely did NOT fold.
Character.
And not just the Spartans. Our opponents showed just as much heart as we did. When faced with a huge halftime deficit, they came back. When down late in the game, they came back. We tried our best to take away #9, but her teammates, especially #12, stepped up huge. Galt never gave up, and I have nothing but respect for that team and their coach.
But if it’s respect that I have for the Pipers, it’s PRIDE that I have for my team, for my girls. You guys played your toughest, most focused game of the year when it mattered most. You brought the BEST THAT YOU HAD in the BIGGEST GAME OF THE SEASON. You showed me a lot.
But you showed yourselves more. You showed yourselves what you are capable of.
(From the Stanstead College website, February 11th)
Spartans Stay Undefeated in ETIAC in an Instant Classic
Maybe it was because we hadn’t practiced in a week or played a game in two weeks. Maybe it was because we’d already clinched 1st place in the ETIAC. Whatever the reason(s), we came out uninspired against MVR yesterday. Zero intensity. Flatter than the left front tire on my 2003 Hyundai. We can’t cover the right people on defense, we refuse to communicate or help, no one’s hitting the floor, and we look like we’ve never practiced an offense before.
Late in the 1st quarter it’s 8-3 for the Vikings, led by their dynamic duo #9 (point guard) and #10 (small forward). But despite six and a half minutes of abysmal play, we go on a 5-0 run to finish the frame, thanks to Lyanne’s and Kayla’s free throw shooting (this theme will continue), improved defense, and a late bucket by Mya. Somehow we’re tied. We’ll take it.
The 2nd quarter is almost a carbon copy of the 1st. Poor offense, decent defense, with #9 and #10 finding ways to score while beating us to every loose ball and rebound. Again we fall behind, but finish strong with foul shots. Down 17-16 at half.
In the third we fall behind once more, except this time we don’t come back, only scoring 3 measly points in the quarter. 25-19 deficit with only 8 minutes left to play...things don’t look good…
…but then the Spartans wake all the way up, and the game is a barn-burner from that point on! Lyanne, Rina, Chloe, Julia and Mady step onto the court to start the 4th quarter, and everything starts to click. The full court pressure ramps up, frustrating MVR into turnovers. The help defense locks in, allowing nothing easy. We dominate the defensive glass. And finally the offense starts to click, not so much in terms of baskets, but it puts us in good attacking situations which draw fouls. In fact, we nail nine (9!) free throws in the 4th quarter alone (18 overall in the game!), which ultimately puts us up 34-31 with only 5 seconds left (yes, we outscored them 15-6 up to this point in the all-important 4th quarter, how clutch is that?).
But in a play that is no doubt being talked about in Cowansville at this very moment, #10 heaves a desperation three at the buzzer that swishes through the twine to tie the game. Wow, what a player.
Overtime. And to the Spartans’ credit, we don’t panic or bemoan our fate. We get back to work right away, as evidenced by Play Of The GameTM #1 – a perfect running of our offense (for the first time this season), resulting in a sweet Julia layup – what a time for it! 36-34. But #9 counterattacks immediately to tie it on a semi-break. 36-36. Lyanne swishes two more free throws, 38-36…only 20 seconds left, all we need to do is hang on for 20 more seconds…and Massey does it to us again, nailing another clutch jumper to tie.
Areyoukiddingme?! Double overtime.
And again the girls stay focused and execute. Calmly and coolly they build a 44-40 lead with under a minute left, and then change defense to lock down on #9 and #10, forcing someone else to beat us. Sounds like a great plan, but #14 does just that, with two perfect jumpers in a row. Seriously, so impressive.
44-44. 7 seconds left. Our ball under the MVR basket. Run our go-to inbounds play. Massey knows where it’s going. Heck, everyone in the gym knows where it’s going. But we go there anyway. Chloe lobs it in to Mady, who catches it in the crowd, collects herself, puts it up under extreme duress…gets fouled…no call…but she muscles it in anyway! Play Of The Game #2, and a dramatic 46-44 win! What a game!
In the end, every single player on the roster contributed to this crazy victory, but the Players Of The GameTM are Mady (11 pts, 14 rebs, game-winning basket), Rina (8 pts, 7 steals, tenacious defense), Lyanne (8 for 12 from the free throw line) and Mya (6 pts and inspired all-around play off the bench).
Seven wins, no losses in the ETIAC so far. Pretty impressive. But when I got home I counted the gray hairs in my goatee. Seven more. Is it really worth it?
(From the Stanstead College website)
E.T.I.A.C. Playoffs
In the semifinals, in what seemed like our 87th meeting against our Lennoxville rivals, we came out flat. And against the aggressiveness and hustle and early offense of BCS, flat isn’t good enough. Their #20 kept attacking in transition, #13 kept drawing fouls inside, and their whole team kept beating us to 50-50 balls and making the tough plays. 24-19 deficit at halftime, and if we wanted to avoid a depressing defeat, we needed to change things up.
So we did. Defensively we switched to a triangle&2, which we’d never done against this team. Offensively, because they were playing box&1 against Chloe, we made a concerted effort of attacking the soft middle of their zone. And, most importantly, everyone ramped up the intensity, in particular Rina who had a fantastic quarter on both ends of the floor. When the dust cleared the Spartans had won the 3rd quarter 11-2, and the BCS shoulders were in full slump-mode.
Still, it was only a 30-26 lead to start the 4th, even though it felt like more. Our renewed focus, defensive plan and depth (their starters are ALWAYS way more tired than ours in the 2nd half) had completely demoralized our opponents, so your Spartans smartly grabbed the momentum and never let go. Rina continued her great game, Mady was a beast inside, and Kayla was like a tornado, athletically making things happen everywhere on the floor. In fact, at one point we went on a 14-0 run(!), which I guess is what happens when we actually make all of our chippies and layups .
When the final whistle blew after our best 2nd half of the season (31-8 overall!), the scoreboard read 50-32, and the good news was we were in the ETIAC Finals!
The bad news? We were facing a great Alexander Galt team that was hell-bent on revenge. You see, by winning the Banner this year we had halted the Pipers’ 4-year run of league domination. Somehow we had beaten them twice during the regular season (the first time I think they were overconfident, the 2nd time we played our best game of the year), but we weren’t going to surprise them this time. No way. They had smoked Massey Vanier in the other semi, they were firing on all cylinders, and they were hungry.
Which ultimately proved too much for us. Defensively we worked hard to take away their two best options, accepting the consequences when their next options kept making jumpers. But our real problem was on offense, as we couldn’t penetrate Galt’s super-active zone. They rotated quickly, challenged us, and attacked athletically whenever we put the ball on the floor. 23-7 at halftime – not over, but like the semi, we had to try something new.
So we locked down on #9 and #12 (who’d scored 19 of their 23 first-half points), leaving their #6 open, and all SHE did was score 14 points in the frame on a series of jumpers, including 3 threes. Too good .
41-16 at the end of the 3rd quarter, and it was basically over.
But Spartans never quit. We put our five best shooters on the floor (Erin, Chloe, Mya, Rina and Lyanne), gave everyone the green light to chuck it from deep, and went full-court double-teaming man to man for the rest of the game. Hey, why not? Sometimes miracles happen, no?
And wow, did the girls ever show what they’re made of! Pressure! Fast breaks! Steals! Run-outs! Galt tried to coast home with the win, but the Spartans wouldn’t let them. And when Chloe got hot (9 pts in the qtr) you could see their bench get just a weeeee bit worried. But alas, although our desperation defense kept creating scoring chances, we couldn’t get quite enough shots to fall, and we ran out of time. 45-33.
Every coach wants their team to be “that team”, the team that never gives up. Never folds. Never makes it easy for the other team.
A 17-4 4th quarter against Alexander Galt?! Umm, yeah, this year’s Stanstead Spartans have become “that team”. And I could not be any prouder of that.
The End of an Era
It’s a bit of a blur now, but our first game at the McLeod Provincials frustrated me. A lot. I remember thinking, during the first quarter especially, “I can’t believe how soft we’re playing ”. We had the perfect defense set up (a triangle&2 focused on Massey Vanier’s superstars #10 and #9), and we still allowed 11 points in the 1st quarter. How? Because every single loose ball, and I mean EVERY ONE, went to Massey. We were weak, we were unintense (is that even a word?), and our body language was poor.
Luckily for us, #9 didn’t play the 2nd quarter as she was getting her ankle taped, and we took advantage. 13-1 for us in the frame, led by Rina’s and Mya’s and Julia’s defense, and Kayla’s and Mady’s scoring.
So with that stroke of luck and a 10 point lead maybe now we can take complete control of this game? Nope. Their #9 bravely returned, our overall intensity remained average at best, and the Vikings won the 3rd quarter despite Mady’s 6 points (the only points we scored, btw). 28-21 with eight minutes left to play, and I’m totally nervous. With how much trouble MVR was having with our triangle&2, we should be way ahead in this game, but our lack of toughness is keeping Massey within striking distance.
But we held them off. Kayla and Julia brought the energy, and it was just enough for us to escape with a 35-29 win. Not pretty, definitely not our best – and yes, I admit my own personal frustration didn’t help – but we got away with it. Phew!
Our 2nd game, against the host school Howard S. Billings, was much better. Our warmup was great, and we came out intense. 5-2 lead right away, and things looked good. But then bad luck struck. Mady, our most dominant post player and leading rebounder, took an elbow to the chin, felt woozy, and had to come out of the game (and ultimately the tournament) for good. Uh oh. For the rest of the half we scrambled to adjust, but got outscored 19-8. Our 3rd quarter defense was outstanding, but we still couldn’t find a way to attack the Blazers’ 3-2 zone. Down 25-13 going into the 4th quarter, and we needed some magic.
So we asked veteran guard Lyanne to play post for the first time in her life, to set up in the middle of their zone, and we would work through her. And she was FANTASTIC! Cue the comeback! Lyanne scores inside. Chloe makes a layup, then splashes a three right after. 7-0 run, only 1 pt back! We’re still playing great defense, but then their star guard #5 nails a desperation step-back three. 26-22. Ouch. But we keep at it. Lyanne sets up Mya for two…Billings answers...Julia scores…#5 hits another jumper …30-26…40 seconds left...then Rina cuts through the zone for a beautiful finger-roll!...30-28…perfect defensive stop…time winding down…15 seconds left…feed Lyanne inside one more time…and she scores! Tie game!...Last Billings possession, 30-30, they shoot, miss, their weakest shooter gets the rebound, puts it up, misses again…but a questionable foul is called, putting her on the line with 2.8 sec left…she shoots, steps over the line for a violation that goes un-called(!), the ball goes way long, but BANKS IN anyway(!), and the Spartans’ incredible comeback falls one…point…short . Aargh.
But the basketball gods make it up to us later that day, as a 3-way tie in our division leaves us in 1st place due to least points against (defense always wins!), qualifying us for a semi the next day. Suh-weet!
Our semifinal opponent is the #1-ranked team, Heritage High. And they’re damn good. The scouting report says take away #9 and #25, so we do, limiting them to 5 points total for the entire game. But our opponents are too deep and talented for that to matter, as #6 and #8 jump-shoot their way to 23 combined points, helping Heritage build an insurmountable 41-16 lead entering the 4th quarter.
But the Spartans have been here before. No matter the score, we never give up. And since it’s the last game of the season, heck, the last game of an era, we put five Seniors out there, five Grade 12s who are playing the last high school basketball game of their lives. Erin, Lyanne, Nayla, Kayla and Julia (with Mady still hurt ), tasked with the job of making sure the Red & White go out swingin’.
And those girls played exactly like it was the last game of their lives – what a quarter! 17-7 for us against a team so good they would go on to smoke Galt by 20 in the finals. 17-7, with Julia flying around the court (and making her first reverse layup ever!), Erin taking it strong to the hoop, Lyanne playing three different positions (shooting guard, point guard and post!), Nayla pounding the ball into the floor with that super-aggressive post move of hers, and Kayla, holy smokes, Kayla playing her most aggressive, most intense, most angry basketball of the season. 17-7 – what a quarter!
So, 48-33 loss in the final game of the 2014-15 season, but I couldn’t be much happier with how it all ended. Back in 2012 five Grade 10 girls started their Sr Girls’ Basketball careers – Nayla, Erin, Lyanne, Mady and Julia, on a 3-year plan. They won some, they lost some, they bonded, they improved, and they made memories. They lost 3 Bailly Finals in a row, but won the S.I.T., M.I.S. and B.C.S. Tournaments along the way. They suffered two heartbreakers this year, but had three Disney moments in 2013.
They lost 11 of their first 12 games together, but won the ETIAC this year.
The end of an era. But what a great era it was.
(From the Stanstead College website)
Thank You, Seniors
As each of our six Seniors high-fived their way through the Tunnel Of Joy – after being introduced and recognized for their contributions to Spartans Basketball – as each of them accepted their gift amidst applause from family and friends, I wonder if they decided right then to make sure they lived up to their “intro” during the game. Cuz it sure felt that way!
( cue the Chicago Bulls theme music…)
“At guard, from Ottawa, Ontario, standing 5 feet 4 inches tall, this is her first year at Stanstead College and her first year in the Basketball Program. Not only is this player a FEROCIOUS on-ball defender, but she has the best EURO-STEP in the history of The Program…#12…Kayla Clarke!!”
…so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when Kayla drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd with a bee-yoo-tiful euro-step six minutes into the game…not surprised at all…
“Standing tall at 5 foot 9 and hailing all the way from Damascus, Syria, this post player is in her 3rd year at Stanstead College, and she has spent all 3 of those years in the Basketball Program. She may be the nicest person in the world off the court, but on the court she is as FIERCE and as HUNGRY a competitor as they come – in fact, no one gives MEANER LOOKS to her opponents than…#21...Nayla Al Ajami!!”
…and it probably wasn’t a coincidence that Nayla had her best game, featuring one series where Chloe was overheard on the bench saying “omigod, I thought Nayla was gonna punch that girl!”…
“No one has IMPROVED more over the course of her career than this 5 foot 5 guard from Orleans, Vermont, who is in her 4th year at Stanstead College, all spent in the Basketball Program. Back in Grade 9 you couldn’t pay her to take a shot, that’s how scared she was of shooting. But now, if we had to pick one Spartan to take the game-winning three-pointer, it would be this player, because she has made herself into the BEST SHOOTER on the team...#8… Erin Butler!”
…and no doubt I should have expected Erin to play with supreme confidence – making steals, scoring on the fast break, and shooting with no hesitation AT ALL…
“At forward, from Wemindji, Quebec, standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, this is her 7th year at Stanstead College, and her 6th year in the Basketball Program. This player has played every position for this team over the course of her career, but none more important than what she’s done this year as a Captain. She is always POSITIVE, she always gives 100%, and there’s nothing she won’t do to help her team succeed. She is the HEART AND SOUL of the Spartans…#10…Julia Gilpin!!”
…and of course I should have known Julia would fly all over the court, chasing down loose balls, attacking off the dribble, providing THAT SPARK for her teammates…
“This 5 foot 7 guard, homegrown right here in Stanstead, Quebec, is a Basketball Lifer, having been in The Program for every one of her 6 years at Stanstead College. Everyone remembers her because of the 35-foot shot she made exactly two years ago this very night, but she is much more than just The Shot. In fact, not only is she playing the best basketball of her life right now, but with her speed, defense, scoring and experience, she is now one of the most WELL-ROUNDED PLAYERS IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE…#5…Lyanne Carruthers!!”
…so it wasn’t really a shocker that Lyanne played a superb all-round game, doing a little bit of everything while leading her team with 12 points…
“And finally, from Ogden, Quebec, standing proudly at 5 feet 9 inches tall, this Basketball Lifer – 6 out of 6 years – is a shining example of the Stanstead Basketball Program. In Grade 7 she was a Bantam girl who could only dribble right-handed into the corner. Now she’s a REBOUNDING force, a Team Captain, and the most DOMINANT post player in the league. And she’d be the first to tell you that she made it this far because along the way she realized one all-important thing -“BASKETBALL…IS…LIFE”… #3…Madyson St.-Pierre!!”
…and really, could the game have started any other way, very first possession, than Mady receiving a pass in the post and abusing her poor defender with a perfect and-1 post move? No, I think not…
What a special night. Five Seniors on the floor together to finish the game (with Kayla refusing to go in so that her more veteran teammates can stay on – yeah, that’s what kind of team we have), some eyes misty, some eyes teary, photos after the game, family and friends, congratulations, hugs. Just the perfect high-school-sports vibe.
Thank you, Seniors. For everything.