Spotlight on hoops
16 senior girls high school teams battle for Niagara bragging rights at Standard tourney
It’s quite an honour to be the champion and know you are the best team in Niagara.” Governor Simcoe Redcoats head coach Jill Stiefelmeyer
Will it be a case of the cats coming back, will the A.N. Myer Marauders live up to their top billing as the top seed or will one of six hometown hopefuls bring the Standard Girls Basketball Tournament overall championship back to St. Catharines?
Those are among the potential headlines that will top this page Saturday after the 18th edition of the senior high school showcase wraps up.
But let’s not travel too far up the court by getting ahead of ourselves. Before the final buzzer sounds following Friday night’s championship doubleheader at Governor Simcoe Secondary School, a total of 22 games will be played, including eight when the battle for basketball bragging rights tips off today with qualifying-round action.
Sixteen teams from as far as north as Grimsby and as far as south as Fort Erie are guaranteed to play two games each, with Day 1 winners advancing to the championship side of the bracket and opening-round losers bounced to the B side where they will be eligible to take the consolation title.
Day 2 losers go home, regardless of the bracket they’re competing in.
The Standard Girls Basketball Tournament is about more than hoops. Proceeds from student buy-ins for opening-round games and from the gate the rest of the week fund bursaries.
“Somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000 are given back to the players through bursaries,” said Jill Stiefelmeyer, head coach of Governor Simcoe Redcoats senior girls basketball team and cochair of the tournament.
Upwards of $30,000 in bursaries have been awarded since the inception of the tournament.
The high quality of girls basketball in the region and the rivalries that exist among many schools in Niagara has over the years made the Standard a competition that teams red circle on their calendars.
“It’s quite an honour to be the champion and know you are the best team in Niagara,” Stiefelmeyer said. “The competition is good, the games are good.”
The Jean Vanier Lynx from Welland and the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs from St. Catharines are the defending overall and consolation champions, respectively. Vanier, which entered last year’s tournament as the top seed, defeated the Eden Flyers 46-38 and Churchill topped the Governor Simcoe Redcoats 36-29.
Doubleheaders are taking place on opening day of the four-day tournament at four high schools, all of them in St. Catharines.
At Denis Morris, the Blessed Trinity Thunder and the Saint Paul Patriots take the court at 2:45 p.m. after the host Reds play the St. Francis Phoenix at 1:15 p.m.
Action at Churchill opens at 2:15 p.m. with the Bulldogs lining up against the Greater Fort Erie Gryphons and wraps up with Vanier beginning defence of its Standard Tournament championship with a 3:45 p.m. tipoff against the Grimsby Eagles.
At Eden, it’s the host Flyers against the E.L. Crossley Cyclone at 1:45 p.m. and Welland Centennial versus the Holy Cross Raiders.
Qualifying-round action at Simcoe has the host Redcoats taking on the Saint Michael Mustangs, 1:30 p.m.; and the Marauders playing the Thorold Golden Eagles, 3 p.m.
Following, in alphabetical order, are profiles of the 16 teams competing in this week’s tournament. Information was submitted by the coaches:
A.N. MYER MARAUDERS
Last season's records: information not submitted by team Number of returning players: three
Key returnees: Tori DiDomenico, G; Michelle Kim, G; Rosie Tait, F Key newcomers: Emily Brown, G; Julia Colavecchia, G; Molly Taylor, F Strengths: speed, passing, outside shooting, full-court defence Weakness: rebounding
BLESSED TRINITY THUNDER
Last season's records: 15-9, senior; 0-10, junior Number of returning players: 10 Key returnees: Mia DiPasquale, G; Madison O'Brien, G
Key newcomers: Ella Muraca, G; Katrina Shields, F Strengths: commitment, work ethic, youth Weakness: lack of experience
DENIS MORRIS REDS
Last season's records: 9-7, senior; 10-6, junior Number of returning players: four Key returnees: Dannielle Orlando, G; Emily White, F Key newcomers: Lexxus Bell, G; Jordyn Britton, F; Cayla Mirabella, G
Strengths: eagerness to learn and
improve, team speed
Weakness: very young with seven players from Grades 9 and 10 on the team
E.L. CROSSLEY CYCLONE
No information submitted by team
EDEN FLYERS
Last season's records: 32-5, senior; 18-5, junior Number of returning players: seven
Key returnees: Beth DeBoer, G; Rachel Frenci, F; Ashley Haine, G; Brittany Klassem F; Jeniah Wiens, F Key newcomers: Avery Cushing, G; Hayley Gilbert, G; Erica Rouse, F Strengths: depth, energy, guard play, teamwork Weakness: lack of patience on offence
GREATER FORT ERIE GRYPHONS
Last season's records: not applicable, school opened in September 2017
Number of returning players: NA Key returnees: Taylor Doyle, G; Megan Louws, G; Key newcomers: Holly Warkentin, G Strength: speed Weakness: lack of size
GRIMSBY EAGLES
Last season's records: information not submitted
Number of returning players: four Key returnees: Asha-Lee Crooks, F; Mimi Dunda, C; Paige Epp, G; Lauren Nugent, G
Key newcomers: Maggie Tchaskasky, G; Jujana Vukovic, F Strength: ball movement Weakness: information not submitted
HOLY CROSS RAIDERS
Last season's records: 3-12, senior; 5-5, junior
Number of returning players: nine Key returnees: Amanda Hemphill, F; Sarah O'Rourke, G Key newcomer: Jayde McLean, G Strengths: ball movement, defence, rebounding, work ethic Weaknesses: penetrating pressure defences, scoring
GOVERNOR SIMCOE REDCOATS
Last season's records: 11-13, senior; 7-9, junior Number of returning players: two Key returnees: Hana Palkin, G, out with an injury; Rhegan Sinclair, F Key newcomers: Allison Addy, G; Mia Friesen, G/C; Alicia Reid Strengths: athleticism, size Weakness: lack of experience
JEAN VANIER LYNX
Last season's records: 32-1, senior Number of returning players: six Key returnees: Mikayla Lafontaine, post; Alexandra Hebert, G; Julia Hebert, G; Isabelle Sinclair, post; Matteya Wendling, G/post Key newcomers: Alyssa Arcand, G; Andrea Hebert, G; Morgan McAvoy, post, back after two seasons sidelined with injuries; Ariel Wendling, G Strengths: defence, speed Weaknesses: lack of depth, lack of size
ST. FRANCIS PHOENIX
Last season's records: 10-9, senior; 9-4, junior Number of returning players: eight
Key returnees: Sophia Al-Kayed, G; Erin Giroux, G; Abby Ruetz, G Key newcomers: Viktoria Cubelic, G/F; Ava Lannan, G Strengths: balanced attack, guard play, rebounding Weaknesses: lack of depth, lack of experience playing together as a team
SAINT MICHAEL MUSTANGS
Last season's records: 9-7, senior; 8-8, junior Number of returning players: three Key returnees: Anne Ibey, G; Carlee Ibeym G/F
Key newcomers: Jaden Callahan, F; Lauren Carter, F; Aliyah Glaze, G Strengths: experience, speed Weakness: lack of depth with only eight players
SAINT PAUL PATRIOTS
Last season's records: 15-10, senior; 3-12, junior
Number of returning players: five Key returnees: Juliana Camisa, G; Megan Falco, F; Susan Leone, F Key newcomers: Julianna Fabiano, G; Angeline Galati, G; Jenna Kemp, C Strengths: defence, speed Weaknesses: lack of size, lack of experience at guard position
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL BULLDOGS
Last season's records: 14-12, senior; 12-3, junior Number of returning players: eight
Key returnees: Kaley Demont, G; Olivia Krieger, G; Olivia Nazar, F; Natalie Weber, F
Key newcomers: Janee Harrison, F;
Ally Sentance, G Strengths: athleticism, skill, speed Weaknesses: lack of experience, lack of size
THOROLD GOLDEN EAGLES
Last season's records: information not submitted Number of returning players: four Key returnees: Rachel Gillespie, G; Mia Nicholson, C; Eryka Sneath, G Key newcomer: Mya Conway, G Strength: competitiveness Weakness: lack of experience
WELLAND CENTENNIAL COUGARS
Last season's records: 16-8, senior; 14-10, junior
Number of returning players: five Key returnees: Kirsten Atkins, G; Sydney Larter, F; Catherine Maltais, F; Olivia Smith, G Key newcomers: Emily Babjk, F; Brenna Ferrara, G; Hayley Williams, F
Strengths: depth, experince Weakness: lack of consistency in scoring