14 going for gold at Tribune tourney
Top seeds Eden, Sir Winston Churchill earn first-round byes
After the Standard Tournament last week in St. Catharines, the battle for bragging rights in girls high school basketball bounces to south Niagara this week.
None of the 14 teams competing in the 15th Tribune Girls Tournament will leave the court empty-handed when action wraps up Saturday night with a championship doubleheader at Notre Dame College School in Welland.
Two teams, one on each side of the bracket, will take titles, with players on all squads gaining more invaluable experience competing together in must-win games in front of a crowd. That experience, coaches say, will come in handy come playoff time heading into the Ontario high school championships in late November.
For only the second time in its history, the Tribune Tournament will field fewer than 16 teams. This week 14 teams, including six from The Tribune circulation area, will see action in the showcase.
Scheduling conflicts with other tournaments and school budgets limiting teams to only so many competitions on top of league play are among the factors for the decline in number.
Organizers don’t see the drop to 14 from 16 teams as the beginning of a trend.
“I think it’s just an aberation, I’m not concerned,” co-convener Rita Ventresca said.
Instead of eight qualifying-round games on Day 1 of the tournament, there will be six with the top two seeds — Eden Flyers, Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs — each receiving a bye.
To ensure a final four will advance to the championship and consolation semifinals, a wild-card component is being introduced.
“If you win your first game but lose your second game, you will now have an opportunity to go over to the consolation side as a wild card,” said Ventresca and co-convener Sandy
Forand.
Losers from the four championship quarter-finals being played Thursday will go into a lottery with the winner of the draw advancing
to the semifinals on the B side of the bracket.
Ventresca said the wild card will be chosen by a straightforward draw — i.e. picking a name out of a hat — held immediately after all second-round games are decided.
“I think that’s the fairest way to do it,” Ventresca said.
Only seven teams took the court at the first-ever Tribune Girls Basketball Tournament. Played in January 2005, the inaugural tournament also marked the only time a consolation champion wasn’t crowned.
Ten teams that competed at the Standard Tourney are playing in their second major tournament in as many weeks: Denis Morris Reds, Eden Flyers, E.L. Crossley Cyclone, Greater Fort Erie Gryphons, Jean Vanier Lynx, Saint Michael Mustangs, Saint Paul Patriots, Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs, Welland Centennial Cougars.
Rounding out the Tribune Tournament field are the Lakeshore Catholic Gators, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Port Colborne Blue Bears and the Ridley College Tigers.
Buyout games will be played Wednesday at Centennial, Crossley and Lakeshore and Thursday at Port High.
Action will take place at seven venues in all. Centennial will host two, opening-round games and three on Day 2, with qualifyinground games at Crossley and Lakeshore, one each; and Vanier, with two.
Notre Dame will host three championship quarter-finals Thursday and Port High one quarter-final on the consolation side.
All four semifinals Friday will be played at the Niagara College Athletic Centre in Welland.
Once again, proceeds from admission will fund $500 scholarships to players going on to study at post-secondary institutions.
Giving pack to the community in the form of scholarships has always been an important part of the tournament. The showcase, Ventresca said, isn’t limited to skills on the court. Academic achievement in the classroom is also taken into consideration, she added.
“We are also acknowledging them for being well-rounded student athletes.”
Admission is $3 for adults and $2 students for the first two rounds increasing to $5 adults and $3 for students for the semifinals and the finals.
Both Standard Tournament champions — Churchill, A final; Denis Morris, B final — are in the mix as are the defending champions from the Tribune tourney.
Last year the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 51-38 on their home court to return to the winners circle after a one-year absence.
In the B final, the Lakeshore Catholic Gators topped the Saint Michael Mustangs 56-41 for their second consolation championship and first since 2011.