STANDARD BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TIPS OFF
Churchill Bulldogs hope experience, team depth will take them to title at Standard Tournament
Sir Winston Churchill is determined to play in the championship final The Standard High School Basketball Tournament wraps up Friday night in St. Catharines.
Hardly the stuff of stop-the-presses news, since every team in the 16-team would love to win it all, especially the single A Davids hoping to knock off a David from the double and triple A ranks.
However, not every team competing in the four-day competition that tipped off Monday with eight qualifying-round games returned all but one player from last year’s squad.
And the 2016 edition of the Bulldogs was pretty good, if memory serves. They lived up to their No. 2 seeding heading into the final night 3-0 on the championship side of the bracket.
Alas, so did the St. Francis Phoenix. The No. 1 seed, and the finalist to Ridley College the year before, St. Francis defeated Churchill 59-49.
“We’re not that deep, but we’re strong,” head coach Gregg Loucks said after his team topped the Lakeshore Catholic Gators 6638 in opening-round action at Ridley College.
The Bulldogs advance to play the Holy Cross Raiders in a championship quarter-final today at Churchill beginning at 7:30 p.m. Holy Cross bounced the host Ridley Tigers to the B side of the bracket with a 25-23 victory.
The road to Friday night’s final at St. Catharines Collegiate won’t be as smooth as it was last year. As the third seed, the Bulldogs will likely face the No. 2 seed Welland Centennial Cougars in the semifinal round Thursday at Collegiate.
Churchill, which has yet to play a league game, came into the Standard Tournament with a 2-1 record, its only loss coming to — who else? — the Cougars.
“We played them in the final of their tournament — and they beat us by something like 20 points,” Loucks said.
Like the ’Dogs, the Cats had no trouble advancing to the championship quarter-finals in Day 1 action Monday. Centennial wrapped up a doubleheader at Eden with a 66-12 defeat of the Laura Secord Patriots.
Crossley grounded the host Flyers 45-38 in the early game setting the stage for a CougarsCyclone quarter-final today at 7:30 p.m., also at Eden.
Asim Serri, Churchill’s top scorer with a game-high 18 points, said the key to the Bulldogs winning their second Standard Tournament championship and first since 1969 is improved play on defence.
“We have to play better defence,” he said. “Our team lacks a little defence, so we have to strengthen our defence, like more running against fast teams.
“Our zone has to be up there.” Ryan Benevento, who was selected as Churchill’s player of the game, added 13 points in the win, while Matt Johnston and Mo Esseri scored eight and seven points, respectively.
Isaac D’Amico, with 14 points, Allan Pambianco, 13 and Nicholas Qua, five, were top scorers for the Gators.
Lakeshore returns to the court today for a 6 p.m. tipoff against the Tigers at Ridley College.
Despite the loss, Gators head coach Wade Pychel said his team can’t help but benefit from competing in tournaments.
“They get that ‘big-game experience’ against good teams, like Sir Winston,” said Pychel, who won a Standard Tournament championship as a player with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2005. “Without a lot of tournament exposure, you’re not going to be able to show guys what competitive basketball is all about.
“This tournament really allows us to see some good teams.”
Thorold Golden Eagles head coach John Kwiatowski was of the same mind. He said his small double A school would rather face tough competition on the championship side and lose than breeze through to the B final.
“Any time, any time, that’s the goal,” Kwiatowski said. “You want to move the program further up.
“Win the championship on the consolation side? That’s great, but if you can make it in the top eight, we’re talking about a whole new level to be in.
“Being in the top eight is a big thing, it’s a pride factor.”
“We’d like to be one of the better programs in the city, and that’s what we strive for.”
After an “incredible” start in a buyout game on their home court, the ninth-ranked Golden Eagles held on to defeat the No. 8 seed Greater Fort Erie Gryphons 59-45.
Colton Spencer, who sparked the Thorold offence, was injured attempting a layup in the third quarter and had to leave the game.
Kwiatowski called the injury a turning point in the game for his team.
“It’s almost as if the balloon burst,” he said. “Then we weren’t sure what to do because he brings the energy, he brings the effort, he brings the heart.”
Younger players stepped in, but filling the void was easier said than done.
“They have to learn but now they also have to lead, that can be difficult at times.”
“But we never gave up, and we played hard.”
Spencer already had a game-high 16 points when he fell awkwardly on his knee midway into the third quarter. Kwiatowski was unable to say if Spencer will be able to return and compete in this week’s tournament.
Austin Ladouceur topped Greater Fort Erie in scoring with 14 points.
In other qualifying-round action, it was St. Francis defeating Grimsby 84-13 and Denis Morris defeating the Collegiate Saints 62-34.
Result from the qualifying-round game between Blessed Trinity Thunder-Governor Simcoe Redcoats was unavailable at press time.