Donovan’s game on the rise
Breton senior excited to be playing at Coal Bowl
NEW WATERFORD – Unlike many of her teammates, Emmy Donovan has had the opportunity in the past to play in the New Waterford Coal Bowl Classic.
Donovan is one of two players on the Breton Education Centre Bears’ girls varsity team who suited up for the school at the prestigious high school basketball tournament in February 2020.
At the time, the New Waterford product was one of the youngest players on the team. She was in Grade 9 but was able to gain valuable experience from earning time on the court during that season.
Flash forward three years and Donovan is playing in her final Coal Bowl Classic in front of family and friends at the BEC gym this week.
“Being able to play in the Coal Bowl Classic with my teammates is very exciting,” said Donovan. “It’s something we’ve been looking forward to since we found out the tournament was happening this year.”
In the last tournament, Donovan wasn’t considered to be the club’s most offensive player. However, since then she’s become an all-around player on both sides of the ball which has led her to be one of the team’s top offensive producers.
BEC, who entered the event with a 3-4 record in the Cape Breton High School Basketball League, opened their portion of the tournament on Tuesday night against the Polyvalente de L’ancienne-lorette Athletiques of Quebec. The Bears won the game 89-29.
During the contest, the 18-year-old Donovan had a game-high 28 points while not playing for the majority of the second half, making the feat even more impressive.
“This has been my strongest season in my career,” said the six-foot-two Donovan, who began playing the sport when she was five years old in the small ball program in New Waterford.
“I’ve improved in many areas. I’ve been posting up in the key a lot more this year and that’s been helping me to be more successful in scoring. I’ve been scoring a lot of points but I also feel my defence has improved and I’m getting better at blocks and rebounds.”
While the team hasn’t kept individual statistics this season, Donovan is believed to be leading the club in points, along with Courtney Kelly and Catie Chiasson, who found the scoresheet with 11 points on Tuesday night.
When many think of the Coal Bowl Classic, they think of a male-dominated tournament. While there are more male teams than female, that doesn’t mean varsity girls teams don’t have an opportunity to play.
Each year, the tournament has at least three girls’ games over the course of the six-day tournament. This year, there will be four games, including two between BEC and Polyvalente de L'anciennelorette. The Quebec school has also faced girls’ clubs from Riverview and Glace Bay.
“Coal Bowl is a very fun and eventful week and there’s nothing else like it,” said Donovan, noting the Bears’ players are also billet families for the Quebec girls throughout the week.
“The crowd creates the atmosphere, we don’t normally play in front of a crowd like that. It’s really a week for great competition and more importantly making friendships and memories that will not be forgotten.”