Celebration will be short-lived in preparation for provincials
The Bishop O’Byrne Bobcats captured the title of Calgary’s top high school boys basketball team last Saturday, winning 71-60 in a heated game against the Bishop Grandin Ghosts.
The Bobcats pulled away in the fourth quarter from their competitors in front of a packed crowd at Crescent Heights High School.
This city championship victory sends the Bobcats into the provincial championship this upcoming weekend with plenty of momentum.
Head coach Kurt Luttmerding couldn’t help but display how proud he was of his players after the exciting win.
After their 71-60 victory, the Bobcats advanced to the provincial championship as the No. 3 seed in Alberta.
Photo by Lucas Silva
“The basketball season is about four and a half months long,” Luttmerding said. “There’s times where we hate each other, but I hope the boys know that the coaches love them. I’m so proud.”
The first half was tight as the Bobcats led the Ghosts 30-29 with help from the strength of starting guard and team captain Garret Ladell, who scored 14 points in the half.
Grant Peters, starting forward for the Ghosts, led his team in the first half with 12 points.
The third quarter offered more of the same: intense, fast-paced, and tightly contested basketball. O’Byrne tacked on another point to their lead, and went into the fourth leading 53-51.
The fourth quarter was where the Bobcats finally pulled away. Ladell slowed down offensively, despite putting up 20 points through the first three quarters.
Bobcats guard, Femi Morawo, came off the bench and gave the spark to the offence that ultimately led them to the win.
“The fourth quarter is usually my game,” Morawo said. “It’s all or nothing. You just put it all in. That’s what I did, and I scored a bunch of points.”
Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs defeat St. Mary’s Saints 71-60 in high school hoopsSenior girls advance to 4A provincial basketball championship as No. 1 seed in AlbertaThe Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs took charge over the St. Mary’s Saints in the senior girls Div. 1 city championship in another tight match on Saturday. Jumping out to a quick 20-17 lead after the first quarter, the Bulldogs continued to lead through the second quarter. They finished the half ahead by 16 points. But the Saints didn’t give up. They answered back with a 14-0 run, led by guards Alicia Tan and Bernadette Catalos. This cut the lead to three points going into the fourth quarter. Despite dramatically losing their lead in the fourth, Churchill ended strong and came out on top with a 71-60 victory. Bulldogs’ guard Emily Morales ran the offence and finished the game with 18 points. Forward Beth Vinnell finished with 14 points and dominated on the boards, which was a big factor late in the game. Tan and Catalos led the St. Mary’s offence, contributing over 20 points each. Both teams will be participating in the provincial championship here in Calgary, which began today. Churchill enters the championship as the No. 1 seed in the province, while St. Mary’s enters as No. 5. Written by Lucas Silva |
Morawo finished the game with 14 points — the majority of those coming in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats rode his hot hand to a 71-60 victory.
Preparing for Provincials
Both the Bobcats and Ghosts will be participating in the provincial championship, taking place here in Calgary, and beginning today.
Winning the city championship was a thrill for the Bobcats, but their ultimate goal is the provincial championship.
“I told the boys to enjoy the weekend,” Luttmerding said after the win on Saturday. “But on Monday — I hate to say it — but we have to forget about winning tonight and try to refocus. Because I think we have a good shot at winning provincials too.”
As team captain, Ladell is aware of his responsibility in making sure the Bobcats are ready to go for provincials.
“I’m a leader on the team, so I’ve just got to make sure everyone gets refocused and make sure we play hard,” Ladell said. “This is a big confidence booster, but we’ve got to realize that we’ve got to go win provincials now, not just think we won everything because we won city’s.”
The Bobcats and Ghosts enter provincials as the No. 3 and No. 4 seeded teams in the province.