Local March Madness festivities on the horizon
Ah yes, tomorrow is March. Madness you say? All area high school basketball leagues wrap up regular-season play this week. Those that have varsity league tournaments hold those events by Saturday, too.
From my personal administrative perspective I can attest the intertwined Southern Alberta High School Girls Basketball League and Southern Alberta 4A Boys Basketball League have 35
games scheduled in the next four days. Yes, 35.
Looking at the slate, one quad jumps out as a potential gymfiller. That’s Friday when all four Raymond junior varsity and varsity teams visit LCI. Girls varsity is scheduled to tip at 6 p.m., followed by the lads. ••• Next week the various South Zone Basketball Championships hit the hardwood. Hey, at least there is one day of rest.
3A of both genders is hosted next weekend by Medicine Hat McCoy.
The combined 1A/2A soiree invades Lethbridge College courts all week long. It is truly a focal point for a wide array of schools. A major lasting success story that folks should be proud of.
As for 4A, it is yet again held in conjunction with the Southern Alberta loops JV playoffs. Varsity games start at higher-seed schools next Wednesday, followed by three days of action at the University of Lethbridge. ••• For those planning to attend the South Zone 4A Basketball Championships, here is a heartfelt suggestion. Buy tournament passes at weekday games in schools to make sure you avoid long lineups and potentially being turned away at U of L come Saturday night!
This isn’t a money grab either. Fact is the tournament pass price point is so low (less than half the cumulative day rate) the gate is much larger if folks paid by the day this time around at similar percentages to recent years. But, as we proved last year at 4A zones and provincials, demand at U of L can exceed supply for feature games. I’d really much rather be catching glimpses of the game action than worrying alongside U of L folks about lineups that can literally be hundreds of yards, only to have many potential patrons leave unfulfilled.
If you look at the league standings you will see 4A schools with the largest traditional drawing power in positions to potentially excite their faithful, too. Wow.
Another fact of life. If you are coming to weekday daytime games be prepared to deal with the parking situation. This may well include dropping off those with mobility issues near the 1st Choice Savings Centre doors, then heading to a somewhat distant spot to trek back. Hey, even I like to walk, it’s not a bad thing. WELLSIE’S WORLD
— Congratulations to all the new members of the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame who were announced last week. From personal experience I’d like to give plaudits to three who are being honoured largely through their area high school exploits.
When it comes to putting on a value-added, multi-stage high school athletic extravaganza in this area, two folks are on my Mt. Rushmore. One is Mal Clewes, inducted long-ago into the Lethbridge Hall. This year’s extremely deserving addition is Duane
Konynenbelt. Fittingly his name comes up in a column which includes previewing the 1A/2A South Zone Basketball Championships, which he played a huge (and continuing) role in. In terms of Alberta Schools Athletic Association provincial championships, I know for a fact ASAA executive director
John Paton was habitually highly delighted each time the Immanuel Christian dynamo took on the top role.
To me, if the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame had 1-20th its current membership, Steve
Wilson would clearly deserve enshrinement. Wilson’s volleyball coaching career, including high school, provincial team, overseas club and university exploits has really been that special. Wilson is a Taber St. Mary’s grad who coached at LCI at the start of his bench boss duties, ultimately returning to the high school scene directing Catholic Central teams over a glory-filled two-plus decade span.
Like Wilson, slightly different era alas, Lauren Perry is a Taber St. Mary’s grad. Perry is one of the most individually decorated players in Southern Alberta High School Volleyball League history and went on to be a standout performer at the University of Calgary. Perry also proudly represented Canada.
Local fans have more than just high school basketball to enjoy live in March. Heck, this Thursday-Saturday the Lethbridge College presents the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship. Plenty of local high school grads on the court, too.
I see 10 area high school products on the active roster. Trying to remember their high school connections off the top of my head I’ll go with Grady Taylor (Magrath), Colton Murray (Picture Butte, LCI),
Pierce Van Gaalen (Foremost), Keanu Funa (Winston
Churchill), Sini Atoa ( Winston Churchill), Jackson Kasko
(Coaldale Kate Andrews), Tom Johnson (Taber W.R. Myers), Cody Chipman (Magrath),
Cooper Hayward (Chinook) and Jett Stef (Stirling).
Of course, those of a certain vintage can attest LC head coach Ryan Heggie (Raymond) was among the best high school players of the last halfcentury.